ON THE SEA.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 26 March 1917, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

FRENCH BATTLESHIP SUNK. TORPEDOED IN THE MEDITERRANEAN. Paris official. —The battleship Danton was struck by two torpedoes in the Mediterranean on the 19th inst find sank in half an hour. Of the crew 805 wene saved and 296 drowned.

THE SUNKEN DUTCH SHIPS. ROTTERDAM, March 23. The Government has refused Germany’s offer of compensation for the seven Dutch ships which were torpedoed aftcii leaving Falmouth. AMSTERDAM, March 24. The captain of the Healdton stated that two torpedoes were fired at the ship within the so-called safety zone. A boat containing twenty, including seven Americans capsized. All were drowned. The rest of the enow were saved. EXTENDING- THE DANGER ZONE. Received 9.40. CHRISTIANIA, March 25. Germany has notified Norway that the danger zone now includes the waters between the northern coast of Norway and Spitzbergen. Obviously this is aimed at the Archangel .route. WASHINGTON, March 25. Ambassador Page has cabled that apparently the German extended limits of the dangerous area include practically all the European waters, starting on the Ist April. The dangen area comprises all excepting Danish and Nctherland territorial waters. ENTENTE SHIPS SUNK. GERMANS CLAIM 850,000 TONS. LONDON, March 23. A Berlin message states that the Entente’s losses in warships, including auxiliaries, since the beginning of the war, total 850,000 tons. PRISONERS ON THE MOEWE. LONDON, March 23. A Berlin United Press correspondent reports that the Moewe brought 598 prisoners. Count Dohcna, the commander, reported having sunk 27 vessels THE SINKING OF THE OTAKI.

AGENTS NOT ADVISED OF SINKING. CHRISTCHURCH, March 25. Mr Bennett G. Newell, manager of the New Zealand Shipping Company, states that the Company has had no word of the loss of the Otaki reported by the Admiralty as having been sunk by the Mocwe. The vessel reached London from Australasian ports about a month ago. Latest letters received by Mr Newell from Homo, dated February Bth, stated that it was intended to send the Otaki from London to Liverpool to load for Australia and New Zealand, and it is possible she met with disaster when between these two ports. Mn Newell cannot understand now the receipt of advice of the loss of the Otaki,. and is cabling for an explanation of the Admiralty ’s report. THE REPORT CONFIRMED. CHRISHCHURCH, March 25 Mr Bennett, general manager of the N.Z. Shipping Co., received a cable tonight confirming the report that the Otaki was sunk by a raider The Otaki loft Australia for London at the end of last yean, and all her cargo of frozen meat had been discharged. Mr Bennett thinks that the Otaki was on her way from London to Liverpool to load cargo for Australia and New Zealand when she met with disaster. She would therefore be an empty ship. As far as he knows, Captain Silba, who took her Home was in cargo.