BALTIC SUBMARINES.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 348, 30 December 1915, Page 7

BALTIC SUBMARINES.

APPEALS TO SWEDEN. , The activity of British submarines in the Baltic seems to cause intense displeasure to Hamburg. The Hamburger Nachrichten, in its time the most violent advocate of ruthless submarine warfare, produced • recently a leading article full of bitter complaints and almost pathetic appeals to Sweden. The Hamburg writer declares that Great Britain is angry with Sweden “because she did not entirely suppress her Baltic trade in order to please the Quadruple Entente Powers,” and that “British submarines seem now to have undertaken the task of suppression.” It is asserted that England has long been miserable about “the supremacy of the German navy in the Baltic.” Nothing is said about Germany’s ability to maintain this curious “supremacy” except that “we Germans can watch matters calmly.” Sweden, meanwhile, is invited to deal with “the new and intelerahle trick.” The article concludes as follows. —• “Doubtless there is no longer any State which believes in the reconstruction of the Russian steam-roller, and equally feeble is now the legend that Great Birtain could by means of her sea-power influence decisively the course of the European war.. These are proud facts of the highest importance. One can understand that the smaller neutral States arc cautious in the application of these facts, but signs are increasing that the appreciation of them is making progress, and that these neutral States do not consider themselves bound to put up with everything which may please British tyranny at sea. One could not have blamed the Swedes if cue of their warships had simply sunk the British submarine which, at a distance of only two kilometres from the Swedish coast, plundered a stranded German steamer, and then tried to blow it up.”