UNKNOWN

Taranaki Daily News, 13 January 1916, Page 5

UNKNOWN

A .-I'lC.lVl-!.:- M:;:... !■• H;i? NEARLY NINE C.ii.iiti. Loiuiui, .Lin. 11. A ---lrvivor of the King Edward VH, wiiitii Hank after striking a mine, states that the disaster took place on Thursday at 2 o'clock in the morning. The weather was moderate, but the wind was high. All the water-tight doors were closed. The shock extinguished all the lights, and it was some time before other lights were got going; nevertheless every boat was out within half an hour. Meanwhile a collier came up end began to tow the battleship. An hour later four destroyers responded to the wireless appeals and took her in tow, but heavy seas sprang up, rendering the towing difficult and dangerous. First one hawser and (hen another parted, until all had gone. The captain, at ;) o'clock, seeing it was hopeless to save the ship, ordered every man to save himself. At the same time he ordered the destroyers to stand alongside. The stokers remained at their posts until the last, keeping the dynamos going. All were off safely at fi o'clock,' and the captain left the bridge at 7.3u. Ten minutes later the battleship disappeared. There was an entire absence of panic, the officers setting a splendid example.

THE EMDEN. , .j.vac;;: xow imiossiulk. ■Melbourne, Jan. 12. TUr. Jensen, referring to the salving of the Emden, states that Captain Proctor, who was sent to Cocos Island to report on the possibility of salvage, found that the stern half of the Emden had disappeared, and that heavy surf was breaking over the remainder. It is now impossible to salve her.

AN AUSTRIAN NOTE

A"n sin i'-. crnEV- tu'pt.y. London. .Tan, 11. Keplying to (lie Austrian Note staling that Austria would hold the British Government responsible for the safety of Austro-Hungarian subjects being repatriated from India, Sir B. Grey says lie is astonished at the request, as the Austrians themselves are one of the authors of the submarine danger. It is the Austro-Germans themselves who carry on this novel and inhuman fo7m of warfare, which disregards all hitherto accepted principles of international law. By asking for special precautions to protect her own sußjeejts Austria practically denies that the sinking of the Lusltania and Persia was part of a settled and premeditated policy. Britain <loes not propose to take special grejautiong in 'the present ca*s. - - • •

READY FOR ACTION,

' A MOSQUITO SQUADRON. London, Jan. 11. At the Admiralty's invitation a representative of the Australian (Press As. sociation visited an important base whence a mosquito squadron is in readiness, at two minutes' notice, to dart out. Targot practice and training continues as in peace time, and war games with miniature torpedoes. The correspondent saw trawlers, minelayers, mine-sweepers, with their attendant depot ships, an aeroplane vessel and other novel auxiliaries representing tiie latest developments of naval science. Tile squadron includes a number of the latest and speediest destroyers afloat, with flotilla leaders capable of outstripping any of the enemy destroyers, and light cruisers, of which he inspected the Arcthusa. She is as saucy as when she was completed, left dock, went to sea, fought an action on August 28, and was back again in dock in less than five days. The Arethusa is proud of her wounds. All the holes have been plastered with iron plates. The visit was the happiest evidence of the readiness of the fleet to strafe any enemy vessels venturing into the open