THE BRITISH BLOCKADE.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 July 1916, Page 9

THE BRITISH BLOCKADE.

CONDITION'S IN Till: MIRTH SKA. London, May 4. The Brooklyn ICaglc lias secured some interesting copy from a British Admiral concerning the blockade which the Navy is keeping on the North Sea. ■JtoarAiliniral Sir Dudley <le Chair is responsible for the information. On the outbreak of war he was appointed to the command of the 10th Cruiser Squadron, anil on <jjiviny up (his command, on March 6 last, be became Naval Adviser tu the foreign OHiee in matters of enemy trade. The British blockade in tlie North Sea is concentrated chiefly throughout the area to the east and north of Scotland, maintaining a guarded district which completely intercepts all traliie to and from the Scandinavian countries and. Denmark. Immediately upon the declaration of war, in August, 1914, the Admiral was assigned as commander of the naval patrols in the North Sen. and hoisted his Iklg on 11.-U.S. Crescent, shifting afterwards to 11.M.5. Alsatian. When the blockade was instituted the British organisation of patrolling squadrons was essentially small, but quite adequate to the nature of the work. Gradually, however, the blockade was pulled very much tighter. The number of patrolling ships increased month by month, until we now have a complicated network of cruisers scattered over the North Sea; a network through which it is impossible for any steamer, sailing ship or trawler to pass without coming under our direct observation. "Our [North Sea blockade,'' says the Admiral, "consists of the strategic placing of units of patrolling squadrons, all out of sight of each other, but within easy steaming distance. Usually our cruisers are about twenty miles apart, and as each cruiser is all'orded a (dear view of lifteen miles to the horizon, no blockade runner can pass between them without being seen by. one or both. To maintain our blockade, ve have chosen a type of warship known as an auxiliary armed cruiser, usually a converted passenger ship or merchant trader, covered with war paint, and mounting several guns of various calibres sullicient for their duties. Such ships are not properly warships at all, for the superior lighting craft of the British Xavy—superior in armament, ordnance and speed -ale kept inviolate for the long-antici-pated engagement which we hope to iill with the German Navy. Although there is an adequate sprinkling of Koyal Xavy men in command, by far the majority of blockade officers are drawn from the Koyal Xaval Keserce. These men, many of wiujm .have, had splendid careers ill the British mercantile marine, are peculiarly suited for blockade work; they are accustomed to manifests and ships' papers; they know how to make a quick and comprehensive and judicial inspection of cargoes." The boarding party consists of an officer and live armed men, and, if necessary, the crew, is mustered to .determine whether any German subjects are aboard, hi the case of lisliing trawlers, which 'swarm the North Sea. if is possible to examine the cargo immediately; and where ships are partly in ballast the examination may also be done quickly. But it is absolutely impossible, to j examine a large cargo iu mid-ocean and in heavy weather, llis experience as commander of tile North Sea blockade for twenty months was that nil neutral captains invariably prefer to be sent into a British harbor. The delay is reduced to a minimum, and the inspection is accomplished with safety and despatch. With regard to devices adopted by blockade runners to elude the vigilance of examination, the Admiral mentions some of the chief ruses:— (I I Double bottoms, decks and bulkheads, concealing guns, rifles and other firearm* or ammunition; (2') copper keels ami copper masts on sailing ships; (3) hollow masts; (4) rubber onions- these were discovered when one of our ollicers dropped one on the deck; the onion bounced 111 feet into the air; (;>■) rubber concealed in coffee sacks; (fi) cotton concealed in barrels of Hour; (7) Bral ships from imminent dets from our guns soon d'isj and the neutrals o rehoist their boats and