Late War News

Horowhenua Chronicle, 8 November 1916, Page 3

Late War News

Austral'a-New Zealand and Renter Services). (Received) This Day 9.30 a.m.) HOW 1741 WAS SUNK. London, Nov. 7. The Admiralty states that the German press is attempting to make capital out of what they describe as a second Baralong case, one object of which is the incitement of American opinion against Britain, ana another, the finding of an argument in favour of' an unrestrained submarine campaign.

The facts of the case are perfectly simple. On the morning of the 24th September. '1915, in the Western Channel, U4l was engaged in sinking a British merchantman. Meanwhile a converted merchantman, commissioned as an auxiliary ship, approached. Her character was immediately recognised, and) lest the submarine should submerge before she was within range she hoisted neutral colours. This is a. perfectly legitimate ruse in war. When within range she flow the white ensign, as British warships are required to 1 do, and fired oil and sunk the submarine. The commander's immediate pre-occupaton was the rescue of the British steamer's crew who were (5-mpelled to take to the boats. It was fifty miles to the nearest 'port. The auxiliary ship then closed in on one of the sunken steamer's boats, which had broken adrift, wherein were two of the submarine's survivors. These were rescued in the same way as the others, but after their victims. The use of the neutral flag in order to approach within range of an enemy is recognised in naval practice and has been repent-edily adopted by the Germans. The majority «f the Moewe's victims were secured in this manner. It Vs difficult to believe that anybody except Germans would base on these facts an accusation of brutality on the ground that the English and not the

German survivors wore saved first by a few minutes. The allegation that the Admiralty issued orders that survivors of submarines need not lie rescued, is an absolute lie, as it was explicitly denied in the Note on the 25tli (February in regard to the BaTal'ong case.