WARFARE AT SEA

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20063, 9 October 1939, Page 7

WARFARE AT SEA

DUTCH VESSEL LOST SUNK IN CHANNEL SEIZURE OF U-BOAT BALTIC STATE'S ACTION (Reed. Ogt. 9, 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 8. The Dutch steamer, Binnendijk, of 6873 tons, bound from New York to Amsterdam, was sunk in the English Channel during the night. No loss of life is reported. Forty-one of the crew, taken off by lifeboats, have been landed. The master of the Binnendijk, M. W. Moree, of Amsterdam, states that he saw nothing suspicious as he approached the English coast. Suddenly a terrific explosion holed the forehead port side and disabled the engines and wireless. The steamer began slowly to sink. A fireman and apprentice were sent to hospital with broken legs. A seaman said: “Most of the crew who were in their bunks felt the explosion. English warships came alongside, tied up to the Binnendijk, and took us ashore. We s?w our ship go up in flames.” It is reported that one of the neutral Baltic States seized a German submarine in territorial waters and interned the crew. A Paris announcement says that during the first week in October the French Navy seized 30,000 tons of merchandise destined for Germany A message from Stockholm states that the Nazis have released the steamer Algeria, which was taken to Kiel on September 30 when she was on a voyage to Italy. A Santiago report says that the Chilean Government announces that at the request of Britain, the neutrality rule obliging belligerent warships to give 24 hours’ notice before entering Chilean ports is being relaxed. BELGIAN PRECAUTIONS (Reed. Oct. 9, 9 a.m.) BRUSSELS, Oct. 8. The Belgian Prime Minister told a press conference that Belgium might escape danger, but all precautions had been taken.