ON THE SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 March 1916, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

LIGHTSHIP TORPEDOED. THEN AND NOW. A FAMOUS INCIDENT RECALLED. Received March 23, 8.15 p.m. , London, March 23. Lloyds reports that the Galloper lightship, at Harwich, was torpedoed and sunk. It is satirically explained from Hotterbm that the German Admiralty sank the ship because she refused to stop. The Daily Telegraph, in commenting on this, recalls the fact that a French privateer, in 1097, carried off Mr. Winstanby (the designer) and his men, who were engaged in constructing the Eddystone lighthouse. King Louis XIV immediately released them, saving thai, he was at war with England, not at enmity with mankind. RUSSIAN FLEET AWAKE. ENEMY SHIPS SUNK. Received March 23, 8.10 p.m. Bucharest, March 23. The Russian fleet torpedoed and sunk the 7000-ton steamer Esperanza, laden with, foodstuffs, on' Kaliakba. She was Hying the German ensign and was bound for Constantinople. The Russians also sank twenty foodladen sailers. NORWAY PROTESTS. AGAINST SUBMARINE OUTRAGES. Copenhagen, March 22. Norwegian papers protest against the sinking of neutral vessels by submarines without warning and regardless of the presence of non-combatants. One organ describes it as a breach of international law which may lead to the most dangerous consequences. The Ministerialist newspaper Dazbladet says that Germany's barbarous warfare has angered the whole of Norway.

DUTCH STEAMERS STOPPED. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, March 22. The Netlierland Lloyds' Company is stopping traffic until Germany clearly defines her aims. THE ZEEBRUGGE ENGAGEMENT. Amsterdam, March 22. The Telegraaf says that several trawlers accompanied the German destroyer.-, in Monday's fight nt Zeebrugge, and a large German submarine was observed keeping close to Dutch territory. The destroyers hastily towed another one to port. Several wounded naval oflicors were conveyed to Bruges. NEW NAVAL DEVICES.

No dcmbt if tho German navy comes out new naval devices will come to light, though they will not necessarily [ nil be German. A navy which finds n greater one watching its ports has the strongest of reasons for trying to improve its position by means of invention. The "submarine monitor" that we have all heard of may be only one item on the bill of fare, and it is fairly certain that everybody except the British naval authorities will be surprised at the number of Germany's airships and submarines if they are ever gathered together. But it is not necessary to assume that the German naval authorities are the only ones who are "studying to improve." Newspaper men have been allowed to talk about British super-monitors whose bulging sides and stuil'ed double skins are safe against any torpedo. But there is no reason to suppose that these are the only new things that are being got ready for Germany. Another is mentioned, though not described, in ihe first, but only now available, despatch from Admiral Bacon since lie took over command of the Dover patrol—the remarkably various fleet that looks after the Belgian coast and periodically demolishes Zcebrugge. This fleet, which consists of as many as eighty vessels, besides a French contingent under Commander Saillard, and is manned largely by H.N.R. officers and fishermen, has been attacked by submarines, but these seem unable to do it any damage. point, however, i 3 in a niall paragraph in which Admiral Bacon ; : '.ks of the extreme accuracy obtained ..!lh long range gun-fire. "This accuracy," lie says, "fully justifies the novel methods used." In another place, speaking of Zeebrugge "the results were markedly successful," the Admiral says, "all the objectives selected were damaged or destroyed." And later he alludes to "remarkably good" shooting against "heavy guns of calibre probably larger than our own." One wonders about those "novel methods," for their nature is not described. Perhaps they consisted in careening the ships, to get a higher angle of fire; but that has been done before. No doubt, however, we, and the Germans, will know all about them some day.