On the Sea

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 17, 20 May 1915, Page 5

On the Sea

H.M.S. PHILOMEL. Unitid Pm««» A«i»m**io« Sydney. M»y ?9. Hillyer, a New Zealander, ••ecently a seaman on board the Philomel, lias arrived at Sydney. He stated that the vessel, after escorting tro.ip.s to Samoa; formed part of a eon.oy to Kgypt, hence it was ordered to Moc'n, and bombarded the town, administering a lesson the town will not forget. The Philomel sank three dhows suspected of carrying rifles. The Philomel then went to the Tor quarantine station, and hoisted the British flag and then returned to Port Said. The vessel proceeded along the coast, shelling the Turkish tenches and forts. The Philomel and ■inother cruiser attacked a Turkish fort at .jonahscastle, forty miles from Port Said, landing a party which took the fort. Here Hillyer was wounded, and Knowles, of Lyttelton, was killed. (Mocha is a fortified seaport town on the Arabian coast of the Red Sea.) SUBMARINE AE2 LOST. London, May 19. The Admiralty presumes the loss of the AE2. It is understood three officers and seventeen men were taken prisoners. .The AK2 is an Australian submarine, and it was recently reported that she was lost in the Sea of Marmora.) k ßeceived 10.15 a.m.) Adelaide, May 20. The Admiralty has supplied a list of the crew aboard the submarine AE2, twice reported sunk by. the Turks. The crew numbered all told, thirty-two in charge of LieutenantCommander Stokes. THE BLACK SEA FLEET. London, May 19. The Russian General Naval Staff announces that the Black Sea fleet, destroyed Turkish coal-mining districts, one steamship, thirty-six sailpier, an elevator, and the railways at Ko/.lu.

MISCELLANEOUS. London, May 19. The Transylvania sighted a submarine astern on Sunday evening. The Transylvania zig-zagged and altered her course. Petrograd. May 19. A submarine sank a German transport ship of Libau. TKE BRITISH ADMIRALTY. RETORTS OF RESIGNATIONS. Tiueb and Sydney Sun Service. London, May 18. The Times, in a leader, says rumors prevalent in London coniinn the popular impression that the Government and the nation is restless, and possibly anxious. The Government is anxious because of widespread searching criticism regarding control of tlie war, and the nation is anxious owing to its not being satisfied that the Government is conducting the war with efficiency and success. Can one wonder at the doubts of the nation, which sees the struggle becoming fiercer in every theatre and hears vaguely of huge casualties in France and the Dardanelles. The facts about munitions caused much perturbation. The Admiralty is the chief storm centre, and there are repeated categorical charges against Mr. Churchill of assuming responsibility and over-riding expert advisers. The Times adds: "We hitherto remained silent because of Mr. Churchill's admirable administration before the war and also his prompt mobilisation of the fleet; but we can no longer keep silence, because qualities which served them prove rash and dangerous consequences to the war. When a Minister persisently seeks to grasp power which should not pass into his unguided hands, it is time for his colleagues and Cabinet to take definite action. It is necessary that the technical conduct of the war should be entrusted to soldiers and seamen whom the country has confidence in. One obvious solution of the difficulty would lie to put Lord Fisher at the head of the Admiralty, a necessity which could be settled without delay. UMTfii) Pbebh Association. London, May 18. The Pall Mall Gazette states that Lord Fisher did not approve of the employment of the fleet alone in the Dardanelles, but didn't put down his foot, so is involved in a common responsibility witli the rest of the board. Lord Fisher then demanded a wow method of Admiralty administration, resulting in his resignation. The King gave him an audience on Saturday. Lord Fisher went to Scotland. The real trouble is the impossibility of two strong personalities working together. The crisis has now made Mr. Winston Churchill's retention of his present post impossible, and necessitates the formation of a .National Ministry. The Gazette understands that the chief Opposition

leaders agreed with the Government. The Standard says Mr. Churchill's resignation will be followed by Lord Fisher's. Mr. Aaquith is strenuously trying to retain Lord Fisher without losing l Mr. Churchill. SINKING OF THE DUMCREE. (Received 9.20 a.m.) London. .May 19. The Dumeree was torpedoed hut not sunk, and was towed by a Norwegian steamer. A submarine chased them, upon which the Norwegian cast off, and a second torpedo sunk the Hum-