ON THE SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 December 1916, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

DUTCH VESSEL TORPEDOED. j Received Dec. 3, 5.5 p.m. Las Falmas, Dec. 1. On Thursday a German submarine sank the Dutch cargo ship Kediri, 3781 tons. The crew "were landed. >• MORE SUBMARINING. London, Dec. 3. Submarining!; include the steamers Eggisford (4414 tons), Briardene (2700 tons), the French steamer St. Joseph, and the Danish steamer Sigorn. The crews were landed. The steamer Nagatamani was also sunk. BRAZIL WANTS GERMAN VESSELS. Washington, Dec. 3. Negotiations have been commenced by Brazil for the acquisition of forty Gern:an interned ships. , HEAVY SUBMARINE TOLL. „ Received Dec. 5, 1.5 a.m. London, Dea 4. . German submarines sunk twelve vessels on Wednesday, seven on Thursday, ten on Friday, seven on Saturday, and fifteen on Sunday. Received Dec. 3, 5.15 p.m. 'London, Dec. 3. Lloyd's report th« sinking of the steamer Istrar Burscombe, tlie Norwegian steamer Skjoeolj, and the French sailer, Brantois.

NEW TYPE OP SUBMARINES. Viie navies of all the great Powers will await with considerable interest the result of experiments being made by th» United States navy with a new type of submarine, says the British Naval and Military Record. Tests of the submarine have already proved so successful that included in the new naval programme was an appropriation of £50,000 for a vessel equipped with the "Neff system of submarine propulsion." The system, it js stated, has bien evolved with the idea of developing r. single or unit power and propelling plant for use in all types of submarines for both snrface and submerged navigatioh. As the result of runs made by a 75it model a trial board has expressed the "belief that the method of propulsion employed, including the location of the propellers, ia capable of pro ducing much -higher speeds than has bt-i heretofore practicable with other types of submarines, erpecially under submerged conditions. The distinctive features of this type of submarine are the elimination of the storage battery for propulsion, the location, of propellers forward, and the improved ventilation. In the experimental boat all theße features were satisfactorily demonstrated, but otherwise the boat is in an experimental state and not suited at present for naval purposes.".

ADMIRAL DU FOURNET. Vice-Admiral d'Artige du Fournet, whose ultimatum has caused the Greek Government to go against. the Allied wishes, has a most brilliant record. He is a man who is not afraid to take a risk. He is 60 years old, and won the Cross of the Lpgion of Honor thirty years ago for war service in China. That was in the Tonkinese war. Ten years later he was in command '.of the gunboat Comte when the Mekong Straits were forced. Difficulties had arisen in Indochina with the King of Siam, and ttrc Comte, under du Fournet, dashed through the straits, risking-the-fire of the forts commanding them, arid reached Bangkok with but few losses. As. a result of this audacious feat, the King of Siam gave way the same night', and signed a treaty jvith France. In 1901 du Fournet acted as Chief of Staff to the Far Eeastern squadron. In 1907 he commanded a division in the Mediterranean, and later held ■ the chief command of the Inter- • national squadrqn ancliorcd'off Constantinople during the Balkan war. He became vice-admiral in 1913. During the present war lie first commanded the Syrian squadron, and then succeeded Admiral Boue .le Lapeyrere in command of the French squadron at the Dardanelles, and now he commands the Allied Fle»t whose guns arc pointed towards Greece.