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Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 194, 21 September 1914, Page 4

| The Australian Navy has had its baptism of blood: several naval reservists were killed in the occupation of New Britain, and now submarine AEI has gone to the bottom with all hands. At least, the submarine has been missing since Monday last, and a thorough search has disclosed ho trace of wreckage, Sorrow at the loss both of men and craft by accident will be mingled with pride at the thought of what Aus- ; tralia's little ileet has accomplished in these seas for the Empire. Australia would have been better pleased if her submarine had gone down amidst the welter of a naval battle, but as Senator Pearce observed, the officers and men just as truly gave their lives for the Empire as if they had been killed in action. The AEI has come to an untimely end, but her complement will be remembered in Imperial history as men who died at the post of duty. Beyond the announcement that the patrol flotilla of destroyers lias had a period of discomfort owing to the recent gales, jitliere is no news of what the British p?leet is doing in the North Sea. * Scare'' stories of. the activity of German cruisers in the Baltic have received "credence in. some quarters, but so far there has been no confirmation

of actual engagements between the German and Bussian battleships. Von Tirpitz is securely locked up in home waters, and operating at long distance range with his submarines. His passive resistance is of no help whatever to Germany, though it throws on the British Fleet the heavy responsibility of keeping the . North Sea clear and avoiding the insidious dangers of mines and" submarines, while at the same tinie allowing no gunboat of the enemy to escape to wreak vengeance on oversea trade 011 the ocean highways. Admiral Jellicoe and his confreres have the harder part-to sustain, but thus far they have done all that was humanly possible to do.«--- It is trying business, but there is nothing else to be doae but to carry out the blockade until the exigencies of the case force the German fleet out in th« open for a definite clash. There can be but one result when that happens.