WILL USE "ALL HER POWER"

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3041, 30 March 1917, Page 5

WILL USE "ALL HER POWER"

AMERICA'S'DECISION FORECASTED ■ THE WAR MESSAGE TO CONGRESS LATEST PIRATE CRIME Washington, March 28. U'esidcut Wilson has conferred with the Cabinet, and considered his message to Congress. The New York World" says that President Wilson and the Cabinet havo agreed that the United States shall uso all her power against Germany.—Aus.-N.Z. • Cable Assn. , BERNSTORFF'S MYSTERY BOX ... London, March 28. Uunt Bernstorff's "mystery box" was opened at the Foreign Office, in the preseuce of the Swedish Minister (Count H. AVrangel). Information as to tho nature of its contents is not available—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THE OCEAN~Mr) ASSASSINS CONFESSIONS BY GERMAN PRISONERS. ■ . ..New York, March 28. Prisoners taken from the crew of the Kronprinz Wilhelm havo admitted that bombs were made on tho interned nhip Fricdrich der Grosse. Ono witness SRid that these bombs had caused fares on Allied ships on tho high seas — Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. [A number of Germans wore recently_ arrested in America in conneotion' with enemy plots, and members of tho crews of the interned auxiliary cruisers Kronprinz Wilhelm and. Priny; Eitel Friedrich wore found to bo involved in tho machinations, which concerned tho receipt of secret instructions from Germany. Previously there had been iiiuch concern about the Germans' schemes for sinking or crippling a number of the merchant vessels interned in American. ports, oithir /by means of ,bo_mbs or by seriously injuring tho machinery. In tho case of somo of theso _ vessels, tho United States authorities appear to have decided that, as long as the vessels were lying at their owners' own wharvos they could not interfere to protect the ships, hut in others the position of; the vessols ,was such that if they were sunk they would a danger to navigation. It is now many months since the suspiolon arose that enemy agents wero putting bombs > on board Allied ships with the 'intention of setting them on fire at sea, but nothing more has .been heard of tho schemo for a long time.]

AMERICAN ARMED LINERS „ MANCHURIA GROSSES SAFELY. r . New : York, March 28. A cable message states that the armed"" American steamer ' Manchuria (18,639 tons) has arrived safely in Eng-land.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

THE OUTRAGE ON THE RED CROSS FATE OF THE HOSPITAL SHIP ASTURIAS ' London, March 28. Two torpedoes struck the Asturias at midnight on tho 20th. Tho weather was fine, but it was'dark. The majority of th'o crew and the hospital staff were in their bunks. Tho first torpedo struck tho rudder, and went on to tho engineroom, where it damaged the machinery and put out tho electrio light throughout the ship. Patrol vessels quickly answered the distress signals, and many of tho survivors wore towed in boats to a British port. They were mostly thinly clad, as they had "jumped out of their bunks. As far as the German submarine could tell, tbo Asturias was. full of sick and wounded! Tho men aboard knew > of Germany's threat to torpedo' hospital ships, out most of them considered such dastardly conduct impossible and unbelievable. '

Ashore on a Rooky Coast. Tho "Morning Post" spates thafcthe' first torpedo passed right through the stern. Another larger hole, directly, above that made by tho torpedo, was caused by the breaking and twisting of the propeller.''.The water poured in, and the Asturias drifted on to a rocky coast, whore she now lies. Meanwhile, boats which were already; out wero lowered. The Army nursing sisters were first plaoed in- them. There was an exceptional number of women aboard, owing to the ship bringing back Bisters whose periods of service had expired. One fully-loaded boat capsized, and fsomo of the .occupants wero in the water for an hour. The thought oi overy man aboard the Asturias wast "Thank God we landed the patients yesterday, otherwise there would have been a thousand siok and wounded aboard, many tumble to move hand or foot, and some unable, even, 'to cry out for help." The villagers generously supplied the hospital staff and crew, with clothing, blankets, and boots. Thoro were many slight injuries apart from thoso severely injured and mentioned in tho communique. Tho Asturias was not carrying wounded, tho patients having been disembarked at an English port. She was returning to her base, aud ' there wero- three hundred persons on board.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable. Assn. •

BRITISH REPRISALS DUE

London, March 28. The nowspapers recall the declaration by tho Foreign Office on January 31, that if tho threat to sink iospital ships is carried out; reprisals will immediately bo taken. This is "tho second attempt to torpedo the Asturias, tho first having been made north-west of Havre.on February 1, 1915.—Au5.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

[Tho following declaration was issued by the British Foreign Office on January 31:—Tho German Government announce that "they_havecouolusivoproof that in several instances enemy hospital ships have often been misused for the transport of munitions and troops." They also state that they have placed these proofs, through diplomatic channels, before tho British and Frenoh_ Governments, and havo at the same time, declared that traffic of hospital ships on the military routes for tho forces fighting in France and Belgium within a line drawn between Flamborough. Head and Terscbelling (Holland) on tho one hand and from Ushant to Land's End on the other will no longer be tolerated. His Majesty's Government havo received no stich communication through diplomatio channels, or otherwiso, from the German Government, as is alleged, and they most emphatically deny that British hospital ships havo been used for tho transport of munitions and troops, or in any way contrary to the Haguo Convention for the adaptation of the principles of tho Geneva Convention to maritimo war. Under the Convention belligerents havo tho right to search hospital ships, and the GermaJi Government have therefore an obvious remedy in caso of suspicion—a remedy which they have never utilised: From the German Government's statement that hospital ships will nolongor be toler«

ivted withinthe limits mentioned, only ono conclusion can bo drawn, namely, that.it is tho intention" of the German Government to add yet other and more unspeakable crimes against law and humanity to the long list which disgraces their record. In theso circumstances His Majesty's Government havo requested tho United States Government to inform tho Gorman Govern? ment that His Majesty's Government havo decided that if the. threat is carried out reprisals will immediately be taken by tho British authorities concerned.] THE TwFbLOCKADES LORD BERESFORD TALKS PESSIMISTICALLY .. London, March 28. , In the House of Lords; Lord Beresford said he did not think' tho captures of submarines were equivalent to tho German output of new boats. He predicted a world famine in tho nest three years, and believed that tho Germans had nioro men and food than was imagined. Tho Foreign Office had too much power over tho Navy. Wo were very much blockaded. Tho losses of British, Allied, and neutral ships in February totalled 281 vessels, representing 605,000 tons; in March, to date, the losses were 255 vessels, or i 20,000 tons. Tho losses would be jrorso during the longer days and calmer weather. Lords Hylton, Euimott, Lansdowne, and Finky emphasised that it was impossible to blockade neutrals unless wo were prepared to go to war.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assii. "