TOTAL WRECK ON ENGLISH COAST

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 59, 15 February 1916, Page 5

TOTAL WRECK ON ENGLISH COAST

10 LIVES LOST OUT OF 280

Russian Black Sea Bombardment

Roumanian Mobilisation Complete

Zeppelin L2O Drifting on North Sea

CURRENT WAR TOPICS. Even our invincible Navy has to accept its adverses at times and it is sad to learn to-day of the loss of ten British lives with the good ship Arethusa which was mined off the East Coast of England, and it is feared, has become a total wreck. The Arethusa is a great name in the British navy, and this particular vessel, launched only a few months before the outbreak of the war, distinguished herself almost at once. She is a light cruiser, the first ship of a new class. Her tonnage is 3700, her armament two six-inch and six four-inch guns, and she could travel at 30 knots. On August 28, 1913, as the flagship of the First and Third Destroyer Flotillas Commodore Tyrwhitt, she was “blooded” in the Battle of Heligoland. The general outline of that battle may be remembered. “From information received,” a submarine flotilla, the two destroyer flotillas, the First Light Cruiser Squadron, the Seventh Cruiser Squadron, and the First Battle Cruiser Squadron, all under Sir David Beatty, proceeded to a rendezvous near Heligoland on the morning of August 28. The submarines were nearest to the island, acting as decoys. Next came the destroyer flotillas, with the Arethusa and the Fearless, and the larger vessels were some distance off. Some German destroying that appeared from behind Heligoland made for home when they saw the corresponding British vessels, in order, no doubt, to draw these closer in. The job of the Arethusa and her flotillas, on the other hand, was to cut them off.

A cablegram to-day reporter!: "During an air raid the ancient Basilica of Santo Appolinare Nuovo.at Ravenna was partly demolished." There is more in this than meets the eye. It is another instance of a national and world-wide loss due to the Hunnish methods which are now so generally recognised as indispensible to the carrying out of the war by the Teutons. Wanton damage, lust of blood, crimes innumerable and indescribable mark the passage of the modern Huns in all climes and at all times. Louvain, Rheims, and all the other sad instances of unrestrained license in destruction and ruin are set at naught and the excuses <'>nd apologies for same will now rebound and hit the Arch High Priests of Ananias fair in the teeth, destroying for ever any semblance to the fair face of Honor and Truth.

A few historical facts will bring hdme to the reader the scene of this latest crime. Ravenna, the aim of the raid by the Austrian aviators, is the capital of the province of the same name, forty-five miles by rail southeast of Bologna towards the head of the Adriatic. Formerly it was a seaport, but it is now six miles inland, and is connected with the sea by a canal. Its archbishopric was founded in 493. There are numerous churches and monasteries, notably the cathedral or Basilica Ursiana (dating from the 4th century), San Giovanni Evangelista (founded in 425), San Francesco (near which is the tomb of Dante, who died here in 1321), Santo Spirito (formerly S. Teodoro), San Vitale (526-547), S. Apollinare in Classe, and S. Appolinare Nuovo. The massive mausoleum of Theodor'ic stands just outside the walls to the north-east. There are an academy of fine arts and a famous library. Byron lived in Ravenna in 1820-21. Because of its ■strength as a fortress . (owing to the marshes) the emperor Honorius in 404 A.D. took up his abode there. From the time until about 750 Ravenna wa s considered the capital of Italy. In 493 A.D. Odoacer held out there against Theodoric for three years. Again, in 539, Belisarius captured it from Yitiges. After that it became the seat of the exarch of Ravenna, viceroy of the eastern emperor. The exarchate lasted until 752/ in which year Aistulf, king of the Lombards, 'seized Ravenna. From 1141-1508 itwas held by the Venetians : and here in 1512 the French, under Gaston de Foix, defeated the papal and .Spanish forces, but lost their commander. From 1509 to 1860 it wa s a papal possession.

The Arethusa engaged the German Ariadne, a rather smaller vessel, and the Fearless engaged the Strassburg, but for a while the Arethusa was exposed to the broadsides of both these enemy vessels. It was then that she got some of the scars of which the crew were so proud; a water-tank was hit, and nearly all her guns temporarily put out of action. Soon, however, o'ne of her shots smashed into the Ariadne's forebridge and killed her captain, sp that she had to draw off towards the island. The Arethusa's guns were got in order again, and only just in time. For at about 10 o'clock, a couple of hours after the battle had opened. Heligoland sent out three German cruisers—tne Mainz, Koln, and another—against the destroyers which were scouting for the British submarines. The Arethusa, with the Fearless, joined in, although the German vessels were much larger, and things grew warm. The Arethusa did magnificently in a series of artillery duels-; with the help of the Fearless she got the better of two of the German vessels, and was tackling the third at long range when, in answer to signals for help, the British light cruisers arrived. The Arethusa had, with the Fearless, borne the brunt of the battle for a good while, sinking one of three larger vessels against them and putting another out of action, and she was ready for sea again in a week. Later on ? she was also engaged in the battle of the Dogger Bank in the following January. Now, Finis.

Milan, which is the latest victim of the aviators, who, fortunately, did not succeed in doing material damage, although six lives were lost and some people were injured, is the capital of the province of Lombardv, in the north of Italy, and is the second largest city in the country. It is situated on the little river Olona, between the Adda and the Ticino. The town is exceptionally rich in monuments and public gardens, and there are numerous museums, public galleries, and educational institutions. The centre of the city is occupied by the famous Cathedral, built of white marble, commenced in 1386 and completed under Napoleon !., who was crowned King of Italy m 1805 with the iron crown of Lombardv. This is preserved in the Church Sant Ambrogio, which dates from the 4th century and contains many relics. In the church of Santa Maria clclle Srai/.e is Leonardo da Vinci's famous paintin.. Last Supper. The Huns would seem to have sinister designs upon the city, as it was ravaged by Attila, the .Hun, in 452.,,

i With the exception that Roumania , has practically completed her mobilisation, being engaged in calling up the last class, there is nothing to report from the Balkans. But it is satisfactory to learn that the Bulgarian Minister received a rebuff on his attempt to influence the Roumanian Premier (M. Bratino) to join hands with Germany. "My policy," he said, "is to maintain an armed neutrality." But he didn't say this: "I am strength ening the defences in the Carpathians and on the Danube!"

Another damaged Zeppelin! The Germans must be getting tired of hearing of disasters to their pet weapons of sea and air. The L2O is the latest to fall down, from what reason it is not given to us to know. The quantum sufficit is that she is drifting in the North Sea, near the German coast. The pity o't there is not more than one!