DESTROYERS IN ACTION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2775, 19 May 1916, Page 5

DESTROYERS IN ACTION

• SEA FIGHT OFF BELGIAN COAST v ENEMY SEEKS SAFETY IN FLIGHT By Telegraph-Press Aceociation-Cojiyriglit - London, May 17. Official—There was a short engagement off the Belgian coast on Tuesday afternoon between British destroyers and monitors and German destroyers. The enemy withdrew to the ports." There were no British casualties.^ THE FREE HIGHWAY OF THE SEAS PIRATES' NEW SIDE-STEP ATTEMPTED TRAP FOR NEUTRALS By .Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Washington, May 17. \ Count von Bernstorff has handed Mr. Lansing (Secretary of State) a communication warning neutral merchantmen that they will inciir danger if they turn toward or approach a submarine when signalled. Mr. Lansing has informed Count Bernstorff that the United States will probably not issue the warning suggested. ) AN INTERVIEW WITH MR. BALFOUR WHAT GERMANY MEANS BY SEA FREEDOM London, May 17. The following is the official-text of an interview witli Mr. A. J. Balfour (First Lord of the Admiralty) by Edward Marshall (an American journalist). Mr. Bal. four discussed the freedom of tlie seas. Britain, he said, had always fought for the freedom of the seas, by which America had been able to develop on her pre-' sent, lines. ■ T

"Germany's conception is very differ* ent." She demands it, not because she loves freedom, but in order to give worldwide extension to her ideal of a great autocratic military State. The experience of this war proves that Germany would cast the freedom of the seas to the winds, and would destroy her tnemies' trade the moment it suited her. v

"International law is powerless if not supported by international authority. If substantial progress is to bo. made in securing a world peace and free national development, America and the British Empire must explicitly recognise their share of the common ideal. It is the most iinchangeable element in mj? political creed that' this war is essentially a struggle between two ancient ideals, in the outcome of which America is equally as concerned as the British . Empire. Both should work together tq ensure the permanent triumph of the Anglo-Saxon ideal. .Arbitration does not go far enough. Such precautions as scraps of paper are useless unless they can bo enforced.

"We delude ourselves if we think .we are doing a good service by merely passing good, resolutions. "What is needed until the'militarist element is conquered is machinery for enforcing them, and it must largely consist of sea power. The lesson is that Britain and America, instead'of. giving up their maritime po\v< ers, should organise them in the interest! of the'common ideal, on which the peace of the world largely depends."

THREE AMERICANS ON THE ERETRIA Washington, May 18. Three, Americans were on- board the Eretria 3464 tons), which was reported on Monday to have been sunk off Guern< scy (Channel Islands. [The Eretria belonged to Messrs. Win. Thomson and Co., St. John, >N.B;] THE HIGH HAND AT SEA ' . WHAT HAPPENED TO A DUTCH . TRAWLER. . . ' (Rec. May 18, 5.5 p.m.) London, May 17. ■ The Press Bureau communicates the 'following report for publication:—"The Dutch trawler St. Nicholas, collided with a German warship, and was taken in to Cuxhaven and plundered of lier copper parts and all movables, while her skipper was forced to deposit ,£2OOO for salvage to' cover the Gorman Government's claim." AUSTRIAN PROTEST TO THE ALLIES ATTACKS WITHOUT WARNING ALLEGED Amsterdam, May 17. ■ ■ Austria has sent a Note ,to the Allies and neutrals, alleging submarine attacks without warning on Austrb-Hungariau merchantmen. The latest affair is the Dubrovnik, which., was sunk on the Dalmatian coast on the 9th. ■ ! [There are twq Austrian-Hungarian steamers named Dubrovnik given in Lloyd's Register,. one being of 4238 tons and the other 481 tons.]

FRENCH . BARQUENTiNE ATTACKED Philadelphia, May 17. , The Norwegian steamer Falkland, from London, on arrival here, reported having rescued four' of the crew of the Frenen barquentins Bernadottc, which was bound for the Grand Banks for fish. A German submarine attacked the lier, nadotte, thirty of whose crew are believed to have been drowned. DUTCH STEAMER SUNK. London, May 17. '•The Dntch steamer Bataviera V., 1559 tons, with a general cargo from London to Rotterdam, has been blown up. l)'iur of the crew perished. BLOWN UP BY HER OWN MINE "PATE OF GERMAN MINE-LATER. Copenhagen, May 17. A German mine-layer was blown up < ff Falsferbo by her own mine. Ono man was Killed. A portion of the crew was rescued.