ON THE SEAS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16153, 6 March 1918, Page 7

ON THE SEAS.

THE OCEAN RAIDERTHE WOLF'S CAPTURES. (Australian and X.Z. Cab'e A.sociation.) ( (Received March sth, 10.20 p.m.) LONDON, March o. Lloyd's reports that in addition to the } 11 vessels cabled on February 2oth as bavin" been sunk or captured m 1 Indian or Pacific Oceans by the German auxiliary cruiser, tho Wolf, the ra . also captured tho following vessels John Kirkbv (American sailer). j Marechal Davout (French sailer). Storcbror (Norwegian barque). A SYDNEY PROFESSOR ONE OF PRISONERS. LONDON, February 26. Reuters correspondent at Copenhagen states that the Spanish steamer Igotz Mendi (464S tons), which was cap- ; tured by the German raider Wolf, is stranded east of tho Slcaw lighthouse, ; Denmark with a German prize crew aboard, and also tho passengers and crews of a half-dozen ships sunk by tho raider. A number of passengers were rescued, including nine women and two children, a lawyer and his wife trom Singapore, a sexagenarian professor ot the Svdnev University, and al&o two Australian" medical officers, who have been interned. . ["At the Svdnev University it was believed that "the sexagenarian professor referred to in the cable is either Professor Gurncy, emeritus professor 111 mathematics* or Professor Liversulgc, emeritus professor in chemistry, both of whom have been absent from Sydney for some years."] MYSTERIOUS JIESSAGE. MELBOURNE, February 26. When the full story of the lost steamers of the Pacific comes to be written somo romance will bo centred round a bottle picked up on tho high seas. Jusfc when relations and friends of those on the Matunga had reconciled themselves to tho belief that there could bo no hope, and oven the naval authorities took tho gloomiest view, a mysterious message came from the deep. At first it was regarded as a hoax, but when dates and names came to be examined by experts it was realised that most important information had been miraculously made available. _ In the bottle, it is understood, was briefly set out the story that the_ Matunga's company had been made prisoners of war, and that survivors from other destroyed steamers were with them. Beyond tho most meagro facts all was mystery: It puzzled navigators that the bottlo should have been found s>o far from the probable scene of any raider's activities; but the sea has strange ways, and even the doubters camo to believe in the end that there was still hope for passengers and crew. What additional information the Admiralty ]>ossessed will probably be disclosed later; but about a month ago tho Australian Navy Department informed those concerned that news which was considered reliable suggested that tho Matunga had been captured, and that there was no reason to suppose tho deaths of passengers and crew. NAVY DEPARTMENT'S INVESTIGATIONS. Messrs Burns, Philp and Co., tho owners of tho Matunga, had no additional information regarding tho fate of tho Ma tun "u and her passengers and, crew. Mr Walter Lucas, inspector of the island department, explained that tho company Jiad been in communication with tho Navy Department at Melbourne, and it was gathered that the Navy Board had cablod to tho British Admiralty, with a view to ascertaining the present whereabouts of the passengers and crew of tho Matunga. A reply is expected any moment. _ Some weeks ago, when it was ascertained that thopassengers and crow of the Matunga were safe and well, a confidential communication was at onco made by tho company, under the authority of the Navy Board, to tho nearest relatives. Since then the company has also been making small weekly payments to the wives of tho crew for their maintenance and tho support of thoir families, pending tho return of their husbands. Tho announcement that the Matunga was a victim of the raider Wolf makes tho vessel a war loss. It is understood that the ship was covered against this risk —partly in their own office, and partly in the Queensland Insurance Company. THE GLENART CASTLE. SINKING DUE TO SPIES. (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association.) LONDON, March 4. Commander Nicholas, speaking at Newport, said lie was prepared to say that the submarine which sank tho steamer Glenart Castle knbw when she left Newport. He demanded that aliens should not be allowed about the docks, and declared that there are spies in every port on the British Channel. No vessel left unknown to the submarines. As examining officer for the Bristol Channel, he knew what he was talkincr about.