DESTROYERS EIGHT

Levin Daily Chronicle, 25 January 1917, Page 3

DESTROYERS EIGHT

London, January 23. The Admiralty states : — Our light forces patrolling the North Sea, not far from the Dutch coast, oil Monday night met a division of enemy destroyers. After a short engagement one of the latter was sunk and the rest scattered and considerably punished. Darkness prevented observation of the full results of the action. I During the night a sharp engagement took plaeo between enemy destroyers and ours in the vicinity of Schouwen Bank. One of our destroyers was torpedoed, the explosion killing three officers and forty-four men. Our ships subsequently sank her. Ave bad no other casualties. SEVEN GERMAN SHIPS | SUNK. The Daily Telegraph's 'Rotterdam correspondent says:— "It is certain that seven German ships were sunk in the naval action.' IMPORTANT STATEMENT OF AMERICA'S ATITUDE. (Australia-New Zeal»*id Cable Service* Washington. Jan. 21. President Wilson, addressing the Senate, advocated a League of Peace after the war founded en equality of rights and based ■ on an independent united, autonomous plan, allowing full freedom for development aniongsft small nations freedom of the seas, and limitation of armaments, neitherrecognising nor implying differences 'between small and great nations. President Wilson added: "The United States must be willing to join other nations to guarantee peace and justice throughout the world. All nations must have a direct outlet on the great highways of the seas." President Wilson summed up his idea as an extension of the Monroe Doctrine to the whole world, and the avoidance cf entangling alliances,which drove nations into competition f-or power. President Wilson declared that the peace .that must come in Europe must be a peace without victory or the victor's terms imposed on he vanquished. Ex-President Roosevelt scoffs at the president's proposals, and asks how the United States can expect them to be seriously regarded -whilst the States are unable to settle their town dis>putes with Mexico.