THE BLOCKADE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11686, 1 May 1916, Page 6

THE BLOCKADE.

SOME SECRETS OUT. HOLLOW MASTS AND RUBBER ONIONS. By Tolegrfcijh.—Prs'-r .Wixi&Uon,—Copyright. (Re-wivcd May 1. 10. .j a,m.) LONDON", April 30. Roiir-Admiral .Do Chair, commanding i tbo Uri'.isli blockading squadron until j ilaroh, lifts the veil in an interview in ■! the Brooklyn '-'Daily Eagle.'" He says thnt the blockade* was concentrated [ chiefly in the east and north of Scot-1 land, and the squadron lias grown • steadily. If. consists of n complicated | 9 no*work of cruisers, through which it is: impossible for a vessel to pass uin\b- j . served. ) Tbo crniserti are fully converted merchantmen, officered" by tdcii of the. j Royal Naval Reserve, with an adequate ' sprinkling of Royal Navy men. They are generally twenty miles apart, and i every vessel is boarded, often at great risk, many boarding boats being sraaeh- ■ j p.d and the crows immersed. ! I The chief ruses for smuggling are | double bottoms nnd decks and copper j | keels. On- sailers there are hollow masts , j in which rubber and cotton are conj coaled, besides flour and coffee. Some- ! times the rubber is disguised in realistk: honeycomb, and rubber sis onions j was discoverer! when an officer dropped |one of th~ "onions'' ami it boiiDced ; i in the air. i i The commonest ruse is a. bogus niani- | } fest. On seven:! occasions the captain, I realising that the came was up, lmmorj oi'.sly produced the g'vnuiuo manifest to i assist inspectors. ■ - . I i Admiral Do Chair personally saw j [ cruisers sink four German submarines j ! which \7Cvo about to torpedo neutral I ship.-;. j