Maritime Activities

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 204, 5 February 1915, Page 5

Maritime Activities

RUSSIAN SUBMARINES AT WORK. Received 4, 9.10 p.m. Petrograd, February 3. Official: A submarine sank a German torpedo boat oil' Moen.. [Moen is a Danish chalk island, south of Zealand.] REVERTING TO THE CONVOY SYSTEM. suggested reprisals bx merchantmen; 'limes and Sydney Sun Senuite. Received 4, 5 p.m. London, February. 4. The Times' naval correspondent writes that the ' proposal of merchant ships to revert to the ancient practice of a number sailing together for mutual, protection raises an interesting . question of international law as to whether this is legal without Government authority. Strong feeling exists that vessels should not tamely submit to being boarded by. Gorfliaa officers, frorn., sub-, marines, however- courteous thev may be. THE HOSPITAL SHIP OUTRAGE; NEUTRALS WILL BE NOTIFIED. i London, February 4i I The Right Hon. T. J. MocNamara-, in jfche House of Commons, said the Gov- ! eminent would notify neutrals of the German submarine atie#tpt to, torpedo the British hospital ship lAsturias, but the civilised world did not need representations to add' w, its horror at the wanton outrage. A BRAZEN AFFAIR. Received 5, 1 30 a.m. London, February 4. Mr MfteNamara (Financial Secretary to the Admiralty) speaking in the House of Commons, said the submarine's conning tower was showing when It attempted to torpedo the Asturias. THE LIE DIRECT. NO BRITISH LOSS IN NORTH SEA. Received 5, 12.15 a.m. London, February 4. German newspapers continue to affirm that British vessels were sunk, thus the Admiralty was able truthfully to say that all the English vessels returned to port from the North Sea engagement. THE GERMAN SUBMARINE POLICY. A CONFESSION OF WEAKNESS. ADMIRALTY WILL RETALIATE, I London, February 3. I Mr. Archibald Hurd, naval writer in the Daily Telegraph, argues that com-merce-destruction by submarines is a confession of weakness. The Kaiser's submarines would not be wasting time sinking small merchant ships if they could sink warships. Other authorities declare that the attacks are scarcely removed from absolute piracy, and are unanimously of opinion that such a form of blockade cannot succeed. They do not credit Admiral von Tirpitz's declaration that tile biggest type of submarine is capable of circumnavigating Britain unless the Germans have found a place to lay up and rest the crews. The Morning Post urges that the best reply to German outrages will be to declare contraband everything that goes irto Germany from the seaward. The Times' naval correspondent says that the carrying out or a ruthless submarine war against British merchantmen has failed to inflict a moral shock. The Admiralty will assuredly take steps to make a counter-attack, as it did attack the mercantile raiders on the high seas. The skill and enterprise of the commander of U2l are beyond question. He appears anxious to emulate the chivalry of the Emden's captain. Others have not followed his example.