ON THE SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 December 1915, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

ARRESTED ON THE SEAS. BRITISH OFFICERS WITH PAPERS. DETAINED BY GERMANS. Received Dec. 8, 8.35 p.m. Athens, Dec. 8. Officers on a German submarine near Messina hoarded a Greek steamer and arrested Colonel Napier, the military attache at Sofia, and Captain Wilson, a member of the House of Commons, who were conveying lettere from the Eastern Mediterranean to London. Captain Wilson had been carrying despatches >?r months. It was ascertained that the papers taken from him were unimportant. The Austrian submarine's second torpedo narrowly missed the Spetzia, which stopped. Then the submarine ordered the Spetzia to lower boats and officers came on board and searched, despite the captain's protest that the action was a breach of international rights. During the search several mail bags were overthrown. The officers promptly fished out Captain Wilson and Colonel Napier, who were taken on board the submarine. A British Red Cross officer was permitted to continue the voyage. The steamer was bound from Jiraeus to Messina.

CLEARING THE MEDITERRANEAN. SUBMARINE DANGER PAST, Received Dec. 8, 8.5 p.m. Rome, Dee. 7. The hunt for submarines in the Mediterranean has yielded excellent results and the danger is Believed to be virtually past. The latest steps of trie Allies are likely to prevent submarines from penetrating the .Mediterranean.

FRENCH SUBMARINE LOST. SURVIVORS TAKEN PRISONER. Received Dec. S, 8.35 p.m. .' Paris, Dec. 8. The Bureau announces that, according to a German wireless message, the French submarine Fresnel was destroyed by an Austrian warship. Two officers and twenty-six. men were saved and were taken prisoner. LOSS OF A TRANSPORT. Received Dec. 8, 8.5 p.m. London, Dec. T. In reply to Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Tennant stated the transport Woodfeld was sunk by a submarine off the Moroccaa coast on November 2-. The military casualties were six killed and fourteen wounded. GERMAN SUBMARINE LOSSES. Times and Sydney Sun .Services. London, Dec. 7. The Press Bureau states that the British have captured or sunk 58 submarines, and probably destroyed 20 others. Five have been captured and are being used against the Germans in the Baltic. THE MINNESOTA. New York, Dec. 7. The Minnesota was bound from Seattle for London. She is helpless 25 miles south of Coronadas and is endeavoring to reach San Francisco. It is alleged that one of the crew declared that the Minnesota would not reach her destination. BRITISH STEAMER SUNK. Malta, Dec. 7. The British-India steamer Umeta has •been torpedoed. Five officers and 47 (Lascars are missing. The remainder have landed. AUSTRIAN SUBMARINE ATTACKS AMERICAN STEAMER. Washington, Dec. 7. The American oil-tank steamer Petrolite was attacked in the Mediterranean by an Austrian submarine. One American was wounded. The submarine withdrew when it discovered the nationality of the Petrolite.