AMMUNITION AS "MILK."

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13728, 17 March 1915, Page 2

AMMUNITION AS "MILK."

Condensed milk is the solution of one of the riddles of the supply of the German commerce raiders in the Pacific and South Atlantic. Germany's preparations for the war were made so far in advance that at the beginning of June she was able to send instructions to ships on outlying stations exactly how to act in the event of war) breaking out. These instructions included full particulars of the arrangements for provisioning and coaling in the event of the German bases in her ! colonies being seized. Included among the ships which received these instructions were a certain number of German merchantmen, and also trading ships that nominally belonged to other countries and flew the flag of nations that were not likely to be engaged in the war. The part that condensed milk played in the drama was this. The ships were ordered to call at various ports in the Atlantic and Pacific, and there ship for re-export cases of condensed milk bearing the brand of a German firm established in very recent years. During the *early months of this year the German export of this brand increased considerably, and the cases were stored "until called for." It is an interesting point, too, that the amount of condensed milk from Germany that passed through British ports for re-export at the beginning of this year shoved a marked decrease. One steamer which took on board large quantities of this commodity at a West Indian port in September is a Ham-burg-American liner. An indiscretion of the wireless operator, who sent out a taunting message to a French cruiser that was on their track, led to the detection of the liner, and she was forced to run into a neutral port for safety. The authorities there suspected her cargo. It was examined, and the 10,000.cases of condensed milk that she had on board were found to be really cases oi' ammunition for 4in. guns.