NAVAL ATTACK ON BELGIAN COAST

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3104, 7 June 1917, Page 7

NAVAL ATTACK ON BELGIAN COAST

• GERMAN DESTROYER SUNK BRITISH LIGHT CRUISERS IN ,ACTION OSTEND HEAVILY BOMBARDED The High Commissioner reports-.— London, Juno 5, 2.45 p.m. The Admiralty reports: "Early this morning our light cruisers and destroyers engaged six German destroyers at long range. The. German S2O was suns by gun-fire, and another German destroyer damaged. We. suffered no casualties. The enemy naval base and workshops at Ostend were heavily bombarded, with good results. The shore batteries returned the fire, but we suffered no damage. London, June 5. The Admiralty states: The Vicc-Ad-miral at Dover reports that early this morning we heavily bambarded the naval base and workshops at Ostend. A large number of rounds were fired, with good results. The shore batteries returned the fire, but cur bombarding forces suffered no damage. Commodore Tyrwhitt, in his report on the destroyer action, states that | seven survivors of the German destrover S2O were picked up.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. DETAILS OF THE ACTION. (Rec. June G', 10.30 p.m.) London, June 6. Commodore Tyrwhitt sighted the enemy at dawn, five miles off. Tho British fleet, comprising cruisers and destroyers, divided into two lines, and the destroyers opened an engagement immediately, damaging R2O, which in a few momenta began to sink, a destroyer rescuing seven of the crew. The chase lasted until the Germans reached their mine-iields.— "The Times." A TERRIFIC BOMBARDMENT. (Rec. JuneG, 8.15 p.m.) London, June 5. The Exchange Telegraph Agency al Flushing states that the naval bombardment was the most formidable of its kind since tho war began. It continued for «n hour and forty minutes. A large fleet with heavy artillery participated. Explosions and fires followed. The German batteries vigorously replied. A flotilla of German torpedo < boats was anchored in Zeebrugge Harbour, which suffered severely. According to n German deserter Zeebrugge is in ruins.—Aus.-N.Z. Cabin Assn. NAVAL AIR RAIDS Tho High Commissioner reports:— London, June 5, 12.55 p.m. Tho Admiralty reports that naval aeroplanes carried out an attack on Sunday night on the aerodrome at St. Denis Westrem. Many bombs were dropped, with good results. The enemy's seaplanes at their base In Zeebrugge were attacked by our seaplanes, and shipping at Bruges was also bombed. ARMED LINER SINKS A PIRATE U-BOAT London, June 5. It is believed that the, armed American merchantman Mongolia (13,369 tons), which arrived to-day, sank a submarine. A number of U-boats attacked the Mongolia, which fired at them. A British destrover aided tho merchantman.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. i

PIRATE B.A.IDS ON SWEDISH PISHING BOATS. London, June 5. German submarines are actively destroying Swedish fishing boats near Kos-ter.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. FRENCH ENCOUNTERS WITH SUBMARINES A BUSY MONTH. (Roc. June 6, 5.15 p.m.) Paris, June 6. Official.—The returns for May show that twelve engagements occurred between French, patrol boats and submarines, fourteen between seaplanes and submarines, and three between the coast defences and submarines.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable. Assn.-R-euter. AUSTRIAN TORPEDO BOAT SUNK (Rec, June C, 8.15 p.m.) London, Juno (i. An Austrian official dispatch states: "On tho night of June 3-4 ono of the enemy's submarines torpedoed and sank one of our torpedo boats in the Northern Adriatic. The majority of the crew were rescued."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.Reuter. ' MESSAGERIES LINER SUNK ' ' FIFTY-SIX PEOPLE HISSING. (Rec. Juno G, 10.30 p.m.) ' '" Paris, June 5. Tho Messagerics Maritime's liner Yarra (4163 tons) was torpedoed and sunk on May 29 in tho Eastern Mediterranean. Six hundred and ninety souls were on board. Of' these, fifty-six are missing — Aus.-N.Z. Cnblo Assn.