UNION CASTLE LINER TORPEDOED

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3042, 31 March 1917, Page 11

UNION CASTLE LINER TORPEDOED

WITHOUT WARNING, AND 320 MILES FROM LAND ' PIRATE OUTRAGE IN THE ATLANTIC' London, Maroh 29. ~ The Union Castle liner Alnwick Castle (5900 tons) was torpedoed without warning on March 19 in the Atlantic, 820 miles from land. Four hoats were picked up. Thirteen of their occupants died. One boat is missing.—Aus.-N.Z. Oaßle Assn. ■'....: THE VALOUR OF THE SEA. STIRRING INCIDENT OVER THE BIRKENHEAD'S GRAVE. . London, March, 29. A Press Bureau report states: The 'transport Tyndareus (11,000 tons), with a battalioiuof the Middlesex Regiment aboard, struck a mine on February 9 off Cape Agulhas. A strong southeasterly gale was blowing, and the transport began to settle. atter the explosion, her propellers showing. The men paraded in perfect order, and the roll was called. After the order "Stand easy!" was given, the whole battalion sang. / Two steamers were dispatched, ! to the rescue, and arrived in half an hour. ' : -' •' '■. Although faced with the probability of imminonfc death, the troops maintained the same steadfast courage and discipline. The incident occurred in the vicinity where the Birkenhead was lost. Thanks to the devotion and perseveranco of the captain, officers, and engineers, the ship was Baved, ; and reached Simonstown under her own steam, with two 'holds flooded and another leaking, and the troops were landed. ■ . His Majesty the King expressed his dcup admiration of air ranks in upholding -the cherished tradition of the Birkenhead.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ,[Capa Agulhas is-.the soutfternmost point of South Africa,"and Simonstown is a naval station 1 twenty, miles, south of Cape Town.' The troopship Birkenhead, on February 26, 1852, struck upon a rock off Simons Bay, and of 638 persons on hoard only 184 were savea; 454 of the crew and soldiers perished; The troops formed at the word of. command, and/went down at their posts,: having put the- womanand children -in the,boats.] ■. ... ?

THE OTAKI'S FIGHT WITH THE V-iVIOEWE,';, , VIOLENT BATTLE OFF OAPE ~ : TOWN. ".• -■••'. V (Rec. March,,30, '10.45■ p.m.) - ; Copenhagen,, March .29. Twenty-two neutral-, sailors'- have arrived here-: from Germany, from amongst the Moowe's victims. Many neutrals were-captured on armed British ships. The Moewe met, on March 10, tho armed British - liner. Otaki' out"-, side.(Jape 'Tow« : . A violent battle e&; sued, and six- of those on. board tne Moewe- were killed. The Otaki was sunk. A iire broke, out on the Moewe, and raged for' three' days. The Moewe was hit seven 5 times. . .

"The Otaki's captain, mate, and .engineer,- and one or two sailors were killed. 'The Mo'ewe's hold was full of juisoners—nearly . six hundred.—Aus,N.Z. Cable Assn; -;.

.'.. [The above message does .not,square with the statement by the head office of the New Zealand Snipping Company in Mew Zealand, which was that the following list of the Otaki's officers are now prisoners of war 'in Germany: —Commander, Captain iL. G. Silbaj chief officer, P. M. M'Leod; second, L. H. 'Woods; -third, E. :.¥.■ Fattenden; fourth, R. Ahgell..: Chief.-engineer,, G. W. Wilson; second,-W.- A.; Thomson; third, AMI. Little; fourth, H..Somervilla 1 ; fifth, X Clyne;' sixth, L. Smart. Refrigerating engineer, W. Legall; second refrigerating; engineer, C. S. Lancaster. .- Chief' steward, F. J. .Wills. Midshipman, B. L.:Kiiner.] THE, OUTRAGE ON THE RED CROSS REPRISALS DECIDED ON. ; Londen, March 29. ■'. The newspapers announce that! the Government has decided to carry out reprisals.for the sinking of the hospital ship Asturias. The , Admiralty will make a statement "in a day or two.—-Aus;-N.Z. . Cable Assn, THE WAR ON HOSPITAL SHIPS WHAT THE .GERMANS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT. (Rec. March 30, 5.40 p.m.) Lendon, March 29. The Germans, in an .official communique, seek to ; justify the sinking of the • Asturias on the ground of Germany's warning of January 31, and repeats the accusation that Britain habitually uses her hospital ships for the transport of troops and munitions. "Germany is constantly receiving proofs of such misuse."—Aus.-N.Z./ Cable -Ass'n.-Reuter. • [The warning above referred to was announoedin an official intimation by the British Foreign Office, and published by the Press Bureau, as follows: '.'The German Government announce that 'they have conclusive proof that in soveral ; 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 the British and French I Governments, and have, at the same time, declared that traffio-of hospital ships on the military routes for the forces fighting in France and .Belgium, within a line drawn between Flamborough Hoad and JTerschclling, on the one hand, and from Usliant to Land's End on the other, will no longer be tolerated.

"His Majesty's Government have received no such communication through diplomatic channels or otherwise from the German Government, as is alleged, and they most emphatically deny that British !hospital'ships have been' used for the transport of munitions and troops, or in any way contrary to The Hague Convention for the adaptation

of'"the principles of the Geneva Convention to maritime war. Under the Convention belligerents have the right to search hospital ships, and the German (Government have therefore an' obvious remedy in case of- suspicion— a remedy wnich they have never utilised. ' >'i "From the German Government's i statement that hospital ships will no i longer be tolerated within the limits mentioned, only one conclusion can be drawn, viz., that it is thei intention' of the German Government to add yet other and more unspeakable crimes against law aid humanity to. the long list which disgraces their record. , "In theße circumstances His Majesty's Government have, requested the : United States Government to inform the German Government that his Majesty's Government have decided that if the threat is carried out reprisals will immediately be taken by the British authorities : ooncerned." . The area: indicated comprises' the | whole.of the/English'Channel and that part of the' North Sea between' England and the coasts of ''Holland and Belgium'.] "'•■-•"' -. "" ' - .'■''-•!: THE WEEK'S WAR ON SHIPPING i ■■—-—•■-'.• '■'■■'■ ■:. i ••.'■'•- ; . London, Maroh 29.;. i The Admiralty report bir the submarine campaign. duringHhe week gives the following . figures, those of last week's report being :■ shown in., parentheses :—;, '.- Arrivals 2314—(2528) Departures 2433—(2554) Sunk over 1600 tons ..... 18— (16) Sunk under 1600 t0n5..... 7— (8) Unsuccessfully attacked' 10— (19) Fishing vessels sunk .... 10 — (21) The sinkings reported inolude th,o Asturias. 'Nine of . the fishing vessels were sailers. An Italian communique shows that of the very large tonnage entering and leaving Italian ports during the week, four Italian steamers and one sailer were sunk.—Aus.-N.Z. 'Cabla Assn.• j SURVIYORS~OF~A TRAGEDY ■ (Rec. 31, 0.10 a.m.) London, March 30. The purser, chief [ engineer,, third 1 i officer, four Red Cross nurses, and forty-seven other survivors.of a'steamer which was sunk in the Bay of Biscay have arrived at Gijon. Eighteen are now in hospital.—United Service.