With the Fleets.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 264, 17 April 1915, Page 5

With the Fleets.

ON THE KROIMPRINZ WILHELM. BRITISH PRISONERS ILL-TREATED. NOT AL{j GERMANS PATiOU SUBMARINE PIRACY. DUTCH VESSEL TORPEDOED.

. . London, April 15. ihe British prisoners on t!ie Kronprinz \\ ilhelm, who liave been released unanimously declare that they are returning to England to enlist. Captain Creighton, of the ship Caleb}', which was sunk by till! Kronprinz Williulm, said: "For weeks I have been forced to live in the bottom of a dirty pirate ship, wondering day and night when I should be killed like a rat in a trap. Immediately I set foot in England I shall go and enlist. My one hope will be to put a bit of lead through a German."

Although the Kronprinz was well supplied with provisions, the prisoners were fed 011 rice, bully beef and sour bread, and they were shut up in a dark room at six every night. The Kronprinz was faster than most of the British wardships, 0110 of which chased her within 'the three-mile zone. The Germans frequently threw overboard woodwork bearing the name of the steamer, to mis- | lead British warships and make them think she was sunk.

One of the crew of the Southpoint, which was sunk sixty miles from Cape Finisterre, states that two boats containing thirty-six persons drifted for eleven 'lours. The Germans jeered when asked to tow them. They fired a torpedo and nine shots at the Southpoint, which took two hours to sink. The cargo of clay plugged the holes. Sir Edward Grey has apologised to Chili for British ships sinking the German cruiser Dresden in Cumberland Bay, being neutral water. The Daily Telegraph's Rottc-lam correspondent says there are sorii ts differences among officials of the Geuan Government respecting the use of submarines against merchantmen. Admiral von Tirpitz originated the idea, and II err von Bethmann-Hollweg opposed it. The Kaiser assented after a long struggle. The steamer Ptarmigan was torpedoed off the Xortliindor Light. Eleven men were drowned. Amsterdam, April 15. The Dutch steamer Katwyk, grainladen from Baltimore to Rotterdam, has been torpedoed. The crew were saved. German submarines took four Dutch trawlers to Zeebrugge. These outrages have caused a sensation in Holland,

SINKING THE KATUYCK. VESSEL TORPEDOED AT ANCHOR. London, April 1(3. Tlic Katwvk had anchored six miles off North Hinder. An explosion a quarter of an hour later blew a hole in the vessel's side, and ft fire broke out. The second torpedo struck her and she sank, blazing. The crew escaped in boats. They saw a submarine some distance««war* r but were unable to discern her nationality. The Katwyk's cargo was consigned to the Dutch Government. UNMITIGATED COWARDICE. GERMANS TORPEDO SWIMMING SAILORS. ALL OVER IN THREE MINUTES. Received April 10, 8.25 p.m. London, April lfi. The Ptarmigan was bound for Rotterdam, with a cargo of tea, milk, and sugar. She was torpedoed without notice. Eight out of seventeen were drowned. When the submarine (was sighted all hands were called up, and they rushed the lifeboat. In the excitement someone dropped the painter and the boat was overturned. While the crew was struggling in the water a torpedo was launched, shattering the other boat and the Ptarmigan began to sink. The rest of the crew jumped into the sea. All was over in three minutes awl the submarine .departed. The survivors righted and boarded the lifeboat and a Dutch boat picked them up.

THE END OF THE DRESDEN. BRITAIN'S 1 UNQUALIFIED APOLOGY TO CIIILI. OL'll NAVY TOOK NO CHANCES. London, April 10. A Chilian Note states that the Dresden on Bth March anchored 300 metres from the.shore in Cumberland Bay, and asked for eight days in which to repair The Governor refused this, but allowed twenty-four hours. He then notified the Dresden that she was interned, and communicated with his Government. Before the Governmnet replied, the Kent, Glasgow, and Orama arrived on the Mth and opened fire. When the Dresden's protest was not accepted the captain blew her up. This act of liostilit" bad panifullv surprised the Chilian Government. Kir Edward Grey, in his Note, deer rcrets tlie misunderstanding, and adds tliat t'.ie Glasgow's captain had not vet reported. Other reports suggested that the Dresden had not accepted the internment, for her colors were flying and her guns trained, and she might hav escaped and attacked commerce Probably the Britishers assumed that slitwas defving the Chilian authority anil Xing he? neutrality. The Government, however, did not w,sh to qualify the apology. SUBMARINES ON THE DUTCH COAST. lV..rived Ai'i'i! 17, I -.-I* l •> »'• Amsterdam. April lit. y.!!ir y-uhinarineri are operatm;; ar.m.s.l the Noonl Hinder lightship.