MINES AND SUBMARINES

Otago Witness, Issue 3195, 9 June 1915, Page 30

MINES AND SUBMARINES

LONDON, June 1

The Portuguese steamer Cysne was torpedoed off Ushant. Her crew were saved. The Times naval correspondent, commenting upon the German blockade, says it is still operating, but with fewer successes, due to the inability of the submarines to continue their earlier achievements, and not to any desire to suspend attacks to placate America The British anti-submarine measures increase iiT efficiency with time and experience, and Germany may possibly find it expedient and even necessary to announce a suspension of the policy. Germany is unquestionably briskly building submarines. English insurance offices have already paid £IOO,OOO on account of 350 Lusitania victims, and many more claims are expected. • A Toronto message denies that there were any Canadian troops aboard the Lusitania. June 2. The Russian barque Montrosa, from

Hull, en route to Nova Scotia, struck a mine and sank in the North Sea. The crew were saved.

The trawler Condor struck a mine and sank off Scarborough. The crew of nine are regarded as having been drowned. PRESIDENT WILSON MOVED. FIRM ATTITUDE AT LAST. WASHINGTON, June 1. President Wilson has decided to sever diplomatic relations with Germany unless an early reply is received to the American rejoinder, and is now preparing for further action according to circumstances. June 2. It is stated that President Wilson’s second Note will be brief, but firm. It will request information as to whether Germany’s Note implies that she intends to disregard the fundamental principles of international law. Cabinet Ministers expect that if Germany admits that she cut herself adrift from the restraints of international law the United States will probably sever diplomatic relations. The New York Herald says that Germany’s hands are dripping with American blood, yet she coolly proposes to negotiate as if the question were concerned with the joint control of the,. Samoan Islands, There never was a time when public opinion was so strong or under better control.

ZEPPELIN RAIDS,

LONDON, June 1

Official : The Zeppelins dropped 90 bombs, mostly incendiary, in various localities, near each other. A number of fires resulted, but only three required the services of a fire brigade, and these were promptly dealt with.

The casualties were small. A man, a woman, a boy, and an infant were killed, and a woman is in a critical condition. A few others were seriously injured. No public buildings were injured, but a number of houses were damaged by fire and water.

AMSTERDAM, June 1

A German communique state : “As reprisals for the Ludwigsh.afen raid we last night threw numerous bombs on the wharves and docks at London.’’ A German communique states : “Enemy airmen last night bombarded Ostend, damaging some houses.”

MORE GERMAN ROMANCING. LONDON, June 1

German newspapers publish a fictitious interview with a Canadian, who is made to complain of their treatment by the British. He is said to declare that the Germans are the better soldiers, and that the British regard the Canadians as halfway between the coloured troops and themselves. They always send the coloured troops first under fire, and then the Canadians where hell is hottest. The British advance only when the others shed blood. British officers are reported as saying that the Senegalese are mere cattle, driven to the front with a riding-whip.

The newspapers assert that many of the British prisoners make an unfavourable impression. They are mostly factory hands out of work, and induced to enlist owing to their bitter need. They were led to battle after three weeks’ training.

GERMAN SOCIALISTS’ MANIFESTO, LONDON, June 2.

A Berne report states that a manifesto from German Socialists is being circulated widely among the German working classes. It accuses Austria of being the cause of the war, and complains of the ignorance in which the Austrians are kept. It also denounces the German war policy as the work of Imperialist secret diplomats, who are the arch-enemies of Germans. It asserts that peace was possible in March, but the greedy Imperialists refused to accept the chance.

FATE OF THE PRINCESS IRENE, LONDON, June 2.

Mr F. T. Jane, the naval expert, suggests that the jf rincess Irene was blown up by a German wireless device. He points out that the Bulwark was blown to atoms at the same place. This he regards as a curious coincidence. He shows that Italian experiments have proved that it is possible to explode a properly-attuned charge by wireless.

CERMAM BMSANITY.

LONDON, June 2,

Dr Charles Sarolea, a Belgian pub* Heist, who is lecturing in America, says that before the Allies obtain the victory not only must the military machine be overcome, but also the tremendous moral and driving force of fanaticism behind the machine. He has come to the conclusion that the whole German people is politically insane, and the country is a vast lunatic asylum. “ This,” he said, “is not a metaphor or an epigram, but a medical fact. It began with vicious pride, expressed in a delirium over its own greatness, and spread the doctrine that her people • were a super-race. The next stage was when the Germans thought Britain was conspiring against them. That brought the delusion of persecution. The third stage was a delirium of violence, which is now seen in its most horrible form. There are already signs of the fourth stage—depression and melancholia. The last stage will be suicidal mania, after running an impudent race against civilisation. Before many months her people will turn against herself, and the end

will be a civil revolution and inter-

necine strife,

[Dr Sarolea is D.Ph. and .Litfc. of Liege University, and holds several high orders in his own country. He has been Belgian Consul for Edinburgh since. 1901. first lecturer and head of French and romance department in the University of Edinburgh since 1894, and war correspondent of the Daily Chronicle. Ho declined an offer of the editorship of La Liberte, and was offered tho chair of philosophy in the University of Brussels, but withdrew owing to political disturbances.]

GENERAL NEWS. LONDON, June 1,

South African reports state that soldiers everywhere are eager for foreign service, and are pressing the Government to despatch them to Europe. The Hon. P. M‘Bride, Agent-general for Victoria, has handed the Belgian Committee £20,000 from the Lord Mayor of Melbourne’s fund and £I3OO from Ballarat. The Government will introduce a Bill on Thursday making the re-election of Ministers unnecessary during the war, to enable the new Ministers to take their seats next week.

Ihe heads of the Oxford colleges favour universal service.

The University of Cambridge lias formulated a scheme for enrolling students unable to join the colours to' assist in chemical and industrial work.

COPENHAGEN, June 2. The Swedish steamer Pan, with a cargo of rifles, ostensibly for Bulgaria, was seized by a German* torpedo-boat off Falsterbo. The Bulgarian Legation at Berlin gave the Danish Government a guarantee that the vessel would sail direct for Dedeagatch, but the vessel, instead of going north, sneaked towards the Baltic, where she met the German torpedo-boat.

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS. SYDNEY, June 2

Arrangements are being completed to work double shifts in the commonwealth small arms factory. The bottle-workers’ dispute is still unsettled. Upon the resumption of work this morning the Germans also commenced to work, whereupon the men threw down their tools.

A Prize Court has condemned a cargo of copra, valued at £16,000, seized aboard the Remonstrant. The ■ cargo was the property cf Jaluit Gesellschaft, who, in September, requested Justus Scharff (Ltd.), of Sydney, to receive delivery and store the copra, pending further instructions from Hamburg.

NEW ZEALAND STUDENTS AS

RECRUITS

PROPOSED UNIVERSITY QUOTAS, AUCKLAND, June 2.

The Board of Education considered a proposal by the Advisory Board of the Training College that each of the four university colleges should provide a quota of 250 men, making a battalion of 1000, for service with the reinforcements. Tire chairman (Mr Garland) expressed the opinion that the time was ripe for a special effort as suggested. The board unanimously supported the recommendation.

HIGH COMMISSIONER’S CABLES.

LONDON, June 2 (1.40 a.m.)

Army casualties : —Officers —killed 34, wounded 87, gas killed 4, “gassed” 9, missing 3; men—killed 398, wounded 1020, gas killed 7, “ gassed” 17, missing 83. Dardanelles :—Naval men—killed 29, wounded 106, missing 13. The strike of tramway men has terminated.

LONDON, June 2.

Prize Courts at Hamburg have declared the Zaanstroom a lawful prize. Upwards of half the cargo was contraband. The Batavier has been released.