On the Sea

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 12, 8 December 1916, Page 5

On the Sea

ATTACK ON THE MADEIRAS BOMBARDMENT OF FUNCHAL. » Press Association—Copyright, Austrnlian and N.Z. Cable Association. London, December 7. A wireless message from Berlin states that the Portuguese Minister of Marine announces that German submarines attacked Funchal - (capital of the Madeira Islands), sank the auxiliary vessel Kangaroo, also the English steamer Dacia, and the French gunboat Surprise. They then bombarded the town for two hours at a distance of two miles, but the coastal batteries forced the submarines to withdraw. The commander and thirty-four of the Surprise’s crew perished, also the few Portuguese aboard the Kangaroo and Dacia.

THE .SUBMARINE MENACE.

NEW RUTHLESS POLICY. Press Association—Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 10.10 a.m.) Amsterdam, December 7. Germans who usually are reliably-in-formed state that Germany intends to institute a policy of most ruthless submarining from the Ist of January. She has intimated same to Neutral Governments, inviting them to make concessions to Germany in to obtain comparative immunity.

THE ARABIA INCIDENT.

GERMANY’S LYING EXCUSE.

Press Association—Copyright, Australian and N.Z.'Cable Association. (Received 11.20 a.m.) New York, December 7. Germany’s reply regarding the Arabia has been issued. It gives extraordinary reasons. The commander mistook the Arabia for a transport, because it was not painted the right colour like the other P. and O. and was not travelling ou the regular route. Several similar steamers passed by the submarine on the same unusual course. Many Chinese and other coloured persons were visible aboard the Arabia, corresponding to “workmen and soldiers,” but the captain of the submarine did not see any women and children ; therefore he concluded that the Arabia was a transport, and so attacked without delay.