THE SUVA STORY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1289, 18 November 1911, Page 5

THE SUVA STORY.

PURE FICTIONGERMAN CONSUL'S VERSION, By Telecraph—Press Association—Oodi riffbt CRec. November 1", 11.20 p.m.) Sydney, November 17. The German Consul-General declares thut the cabled Cormoran incident at Suva was pure, fiction. When lie first heard the story a month ago lie cabled to tho Gorman Consul at Fiji, who reported that when tho Cormoran arrived no British warships wcro in tho harbour, but two arrived within a couple, of days. The intercourse between the Corcnoran's oflicers and Government officials was entirely friendly. The Corinoran's commander and officers were present at a party given by the Governor in honour of the warship Cambrian's officers. Tho Cormoran remained six days at Suva. He also denies the Melbourne statement that a German cruiser of strong power and armament had been cruising in the Pacific Islands within striking distance of Australia; only two small German cruisers, the Cormoran and tho Condor, and tho survey ship Planet, were in these waters.

Tho officer in charge of tho Garden Island station declares there can bo no truth in the Suva story, otherwiso tho naval authorities would have heard about it.