On the Sea

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 35, 17 January 1916, Page 5

On the Sea

AGAINST “THE DAY !” WHEN TWO FLEETS MEET. HOW THE GERMANS SOUGHT FOR THE GRAND FLEET BIGGEST NAVAL BATTLE in HISTORY PREDICTED. [United Press Association.! (Received 8.40 a.m.) New York, January 16. An English message states that a British Admiralty official brought word that the German battlehip fleet left its anchorage in Kiel harbour and made three sorties in December. It made no effort to find the British Fleet, but travelled up and down the coast’by the Mouth of the Elbe within the Bight of Heligoland, • keeping within mine-protected waters all the time. The food riots in Berlin and other cities, and the animosity the blockade has roused, obliged the warships to make a pretence of searching foi our warships. . The blockade, states the official, is going to be drawn tighter. We expect the Kaiser’s fleet to he compelled to steam past Heligoland into the North Sea, and the Fleet keeping a bright lookout. It will be the biggest battle in history, and will begin without warning, hospital ships being held in readiness on the East Coast against “The Day.” SUBMARINE WARFARE. GERMANY AND THE BABALONC INCIDENT. ASSUMED INDIGNATION, high-sounding PHRASES, JUSTIFICATION OF MURDER. (Received 8.5 a.m.) Amsterdam, January 16. The German reply in the Baralong discussion indignantly protests the unheard-of and unproved accusations against the German Army and I Navy, which had observed in the proI sent war the principles of mtei na-

tioruil law anil humanity. It justifies the Arabic case because she was trying to rain the submarine; justifies tiie bombarding oi tlio British submarine because the latter fired a gun; and justifies the Rucl as suitable reprisals against an alleged blockade. In all tnree cases tiie Germans aimed onl> at destroying enemy slops, mu helpless persons.

Germany refuses to submit cases connected with the Bundling to an American court, because toe accusations against the German soldiers and sailors must be investigated by impartial German authorities. Germany expects Britain to do the same and to punish the perpetrators of this cowardly and treacherous murder, but as the British reply does not correspond with tno seriousness of the situation, Germany finds it impossible to discuss the affair further with England; therefore, she. declares that Britain, under futile pretexts, has accepted the responsibility of the crime, which was a disgrace to international law and humanity, because she refused to spare those of her enemies who were put out of action while in pursuit of legally-recognised submarine war - Thus Germany was obliged to undertake the punishment for this unexpiated crime and to devise reprisal'* to meet the British challenge.

paper policy of vituperation. SCENE IN THE REICHSTAG. ADJOURNMENT OF THE SITTING (Received 9.20 a.m.) Amsterdam, January 16. German newspapers, commenting on the Baralong case, surpass themselves in vituperation. The Vossiche says; The offer of arbitration is a cunning trick. The British Navy’s honour is polluted. The paper darkly hints that reprisals have already been' devised.

The Kreuz Zeitung says that British sailors and officers are degrading themselves to the rank of the hangman's servants, and adds that the Germans are fighting for moral ideals. The subject cropped up in the Reichstag, when Herr Ridehour deprecated reprisals, saying that humane laws must he observed. Herr Liehknecht declared that Germany was merely exploiting the incident to stir up neutrals. Members of the Reichstag were so incensed that the President was forced to adjourn the sitting. VIOLATION OF DANISH NEUTRALITY. THE CASE OF THE El 3. KILLED IN GOLD'BLOOD.

(Received 8.40 a.m.) ■ 1 i, Copenhagen, January 16. TJie Conservative newspaper. The National Tidcnde, commenting on the Baralong case says Denmark ought to still remind Germany of the violation of neutrality when the crew of the El 3 were fired on and some killed in cold blood, the submarine being destroyed by the German sailors. U.S.A. SUBMARINE BLOWN UP. New York, January 10. The United States submarine EG was blown up and sunk in the Brooklyn naval yards. Twenty of the crew are believed to have been killed. It was an internal explosion, the cause of which is unknown.

SPANISH STEAMER MINED. London, January 15. The Spanish steamer Bayo was mined and sank off Chussirou. Twentyfive of those on hoard were drowned. AUSTRIAN DESTROYER SUNK. Rome, January 15. The French submarine Foucault torpedoed and sank an Austrian scout of the Novara type near Cattaro. LOSS OF CLAN MAGFARLANE. SURVIVORS’.TERRIBLE EXPERIENCES. London, January 15. The Clan Macfarianc was torpedoed without warning. There was a heavy sea, and no one on hoard saw the attacker until the crew, realising that the ship was doomed, took to the boats. The submarine then appeared on the surface and asked Captain Swnnston to name the nationality give other details of the vessel. The submarine’s commander appealed to he a bundle of nerves, and shoved great restlessness and uneasiness while the submarine was shelling the Clan Macfarlane to hasten her sinking. When tin's was accomplished the submarine disappeared, leaving seven-ty-four men to face death. Europeans and Lascars were tightly packed in the boats, which were tied together. They battled against moun-

famous sons for throe days, aud the rations wore induced to half a biscuit and half a dipper of water twice daily.

Two boats broke away on January 2 and were not seen a wain. Some of tho Lascars and thy we. kor European men were now dying of exposure. Captain Swanston’s boat broke loose on c.m 4th and drifted away, sharing the late of the earlier boats. I lit l three remaining boats became waterlogged .Kid the occupants were nearly dead .om exposure and starvation. Ike. 'rifted helplessly for three days and dghts, being tossed hither and thither j.i the raging sea. Eleven more Lam •ars died, and the survivors wore in i utter collapse. They gave up all hape, but on January 7, after eight lays’ agony they attracted tho atmtion of a British ship, which nought them to Malta. Twenty-four ■uirvivors are now in the Seamen s Rest at Malta, little the worse for their experience. (A brief cable from Malta, dated January 12, stated that the Clan Macfarlane was sunk on December 30. rile chief officer, engineer, four other officers and eighteen Lascars were p oked up. Thirteen Lascars died in tlie boat).