ON THE SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 January 1916, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

THE BARALONG INCIDENT. GERMANY THREATENS MORE . • MURDER. Amsterdam, January 1(1. Tile German reply about the Tlaralong indignantly protests against the un-heard-of, unproved accusations against the Germany army and navy, which have observed in the present war the principles of international law and humanity. It justifies the Arabic case because the vessel was trying to ram the submarine; it justifies the bombarding of a 'British submarine beeunse the latter fired a gun; it justifies the Rue I case a.s a suitable reprisal agiinst the illegal blockade. In all three cases the Germans aimed only at destroying enemy ships and not helpless persons. Germany refuses to submit the cases, with that of the Baralong, to an American court, because accusations i)gair:=l. German soldiers and <ii;o;i must be investigated by impartial German authorities. Germany expects Britain to do the same and punish cowardly and treacherous murder. But. as the British reply does not correspond with the seriousness of the situation, Germany finds it impossible to discuss the affair further with England, therefore she declares that liritain, under futile pretexts, has accepted responsibility for a crime wlm-h is a disgrace to international law and humanity, because she refused to spare enemies who were put out of action in the pursuit of the legally n"'og nised submarine war. Thus Germany will be obliged to undertake the punisnincut of this unexpiated crime and devise reprisals to meet the British challenge.

DENMARK'S DUTY. Copenhagen, January IS. The Conservative newspaper National T'idende, commenting on the Ihwuloiia incident, says that Denmark ought ki'.ll to remind Germany of her violation of neutrality when the crew of the British submarine El 3 was fired on and some of them killed in cold blood, and the submarine destroyed by Germany sailors. GERMAN PRESS VITUPERATIVE. INDIGNATION IN THE REICHSTAG. Amsterdam, January 10. German newspapers, commenting on the Baralong incident, surpass themselves in vituperation. The Vossisehe Zeitung says: ''The offer of arbitration is a cunning trick; the British Navy's honor has been polluted." Tlie paper darkly hints that reprisals have already been devised. The Kreuz Zeitung says that British sailors and officers are degrading themselves to Ihe rank of a hangman's servants, and adds: ''The Germans are fighting for moral ideals," When the subject cropped up in the Reichstag, Herr Ridehour deprecated reprisals, saying that humane laws must be observed. Dr. T.ibknecht declared that Germany was merely exploiting the incident to stir up neutrals. The members of the Reichstag were so incensed that the President was forced to adjourn the sitting.

"THE REVOLTING DEED." TO BE SWIFTLY PUNISHED. Deceived Jan. 17, 11.15 a.m. Amsterdam, Jan. 17. Herr Zimmermann, referring to the Baralong case, assured the Reichstag that he would find means to punish the revolting deed sharply and impressively. THE DAY COMING. -'ERMAN FLEET MOVING. BULLDOG BOYS READY. New York, January 16. An English message states that a British Admiralty official brought word that the German battleship fleet left its anchorage in Kiel Harbor and made three sorties in December. It made no effort to find the British fleet, but coasted by the mouth of the Elbe within the Bight of Heligoland, keeping within mine-pro-tected waters all the time. The food riot in Berlin and other cities and the animosity the blockade has aroused obliged the warships to make pretence of searching for our warships. The blockade is going to be drawn tighter, and we expect the Kaiser's fleet will be compelled to steam past Heligoland. The Xorth Sea fleet is keeping a bright look-out. It will be the biggest battle in history, and will begin without warning. Hospital ships are held in readiness on the East Coast against the day. . .. T