MURDER ON THE HIGH SEAS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14213, 2 February 1917, Page 3

MURDER ON THE HIGH SEAS.

SINKING OF THE ARTIST. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) ißftuter's Telegram.) LONDON, February 1. The Admiralty reports: The British steamship Artist, when 48 miles %■ from land m a heavy eastei'ly gale, was submanned on the 27th. In response to her "5.0.5." call, stating that she was sinking quickly, an auxiliary patrol craft searched, but found no trace of the vessel or the survivors. ) The steamship Luchana on Tuesday picked up a boat with 16 survivors out of - 23. . Seven had died of wounds and exposure. Out of the 16, five were severely frostbitten. The crew were compelled to abandon the ship m open boats m mid-winter m a gale, utterly without means of reaching land without succour. Those perishing after three days' bitter exposure were murdered. ■ ■ It would be sheer hypocrisy to pretend that anything was done to ensure their safety. Germany's pledge to the United States not to sink merchantmen without ensuring the safety of passengers and crews had been broken before, but never under circumstances of more, coldblooded brafcality.,