AMERICA AND THE PIRATES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3026, 13 March 1917, Page 5

AMERICA AND THE PIRATES

EVENTS THAT MAY SETTLE ALL THINGS BELGIAN RELIEF SHIP SUNK

Now York, March 11. Mr. Taft staies: "It an armed American merchantman sinks a. German, submarine, as 1 hope she will, the next stop will be Germany's. It a submarine sinks an American ship, the next step will ha America's." Mr. Alfred Noyos (the well-known En dish writer) says thai; Germany will throw tip the sponge if America convoys merchantmen. Ho declares tho end of the war is very near. —Router. General Kuhn, President of tho War College, aud recently American Military Attache iu Berlin, stated in a speech that tho German peoplo are on the verge of starvation, "I believe that Germany is prepared not only to entertain terms of peace, hut to go a. lone way to set them." < THE ARMING OF THE LINERS . . ; Washington, March 11. nhU6 sccrccy is maintained as to th« plans for aiming ships, Stato Department officials admit that merchantmen, if convinced of tho hostile intent of a submarine, are justified in firing upon it without waiting to he attacked. Tho Press is requested not to publish shipping movements.—liouter. ANOTHER BELGIAN RELIEF SHIP SUNK London, March 11. Lloyds has received) news from Cork that the Belgian relief steamer Storstad, from Buenos Aires, was sunk by a submarine in daylight. Thirteen persons were landed, including an American. Two boats, with thirty men, are missing. • The survivors were thirty-six honrs in the stormy sea, and.the fourth engineer died from exposure. The submarine refused to tonthe hoats, which she shelled.—Router. ITALY'S WAY WITH THE SUBMARINES ■' Homo, March 11. In the Chamber of Deputies the Minister for Marine detailed Italy's antisubmarine measures, including the arming of numerous places on the coast, the organisation of coastguards, harriers, and other defensive works. The depth of the seas precluded the employment of nets. As regards tho methods of chasing submarines, he said that 200 small craft were employed in the Otranto Channel for mouths. Numerous and squaions of small airships were employed. Already over a thousand guns had been used in arming merchantmen. Sixty per cent, of Italian ships were armed. Several hundred wireless sets had been installed on board ships, and the system of signalling by wireless and by aeroplanes was successful. Tlie largs number of sailings and arrivals showed that the measures had not been in vain.—-Reuter. CHINA AND THE HUNS WAY CLEAR FOR ACTION. Poking, March 11. The political crisis has ended, implying that China will eventually join the Entente. The nocessary mandate is expected shortly. Meanwhile, German firms are endeavouring to find neutrals to take over their businesses.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assti. MR. GERARD'S SAFE RETURN ANXIOUS TIME IN PERILOUS WATERS. Havana, March It. Mr. Gerard has arrived. No submarines wore sighted during tho voyage, though there was considerable nervousness on board tho Infanta Isabel while she was passing through tho submarine zone, owing to tho reports that the Gormans had told Mr. Gerard they intended getting him. A British patrplboat circled the ship, and this caused renewed nervousness, until she was identified. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. i COUNT BERNSTORFF ARRIVES i■ • / A VOYAGE WITHOUT INCIDENT. Christlania, March 11. Couyt JBornstorff, accompanied ./y two hundred Germans, has arrived. -There were some Russians passengers, but there was no' discord. American-journalists accompanied Count Bernstorff, who refused them an interview. British warships_ overhauled and thoroughly examined the ship, and treated the Gormans considerately.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. Copenhagen, March 11. C'oiint Bernstorff was interviewed by tho "National Tidende." He said the news of the plot to invito Mexico to join in tho war was absolutely new to him. He first heard of it on his arrival. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THE GERMAN PLOTS IN MEXICO BIG SUMS RAISED. Now York, March 11. Tho New York "Times" states that there is ovidonce that six thousand Germans are plotting in Mexico. It is estimated that two thousand have left New York for Mexico since Count Bernstorff's dismissal. German agents are collecting tva.r taxes from German residents in America. A secret service investigation reveals that live million dollars were raised, ostensibly for Gorman relief, but realy intended for propaganda work. German money was used for the election of pro-German legislators. Messages from Mexico state that four high-power radio stations arc being erected in various parts of Mexico. —AusvN.Z. Cable 'Assn.