GERMANY'S LAST U-BOAT THREAT.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 February 1917, Page 5

GERMANY'S LAST U-BOAT THREAT.

pRITKH ABMTRALTY PREPARED. JffiBSUATE PRECAUTIONS TAKES. i(|AVY EQUAL TO ANY EMERGENCY. Received Fell. 4, 8.5 p.m. London, Feb. 2. The Central News is assured from a llgh Admiralty quarter tliat there arc io grounds for undue alarm at Germany's last U-boat threat. The plans tf the enemy have long been foreseen, Mid adequate precautions have been token to deal effectively with this new Piracy. ' The Central News emphasises the fart that the Admiralty authorities alone *re in a position to estimate the submarine menace at its true 'worth. The bublie will be relieved to learn that (ke 'S»Ty it equal to any emergency. BOOKINGS AS USUAL. American shipping companies state Ihat bookings of Americans have not diminished, and that there have been no cancellations of bookings, which lately j |Were larger than usual. The travelling public apparently are unperturbed, even flramen showing no anxiety. The cancellation of the Nicnwc Amsterdam's sailing affects scores of Americans in England, who had booked to join the Falmouth. It is (estimated that therk are 1000 American f assengen now on the Atlantic. BUPER-FRICHTFULNESS BEGUN. MAD SHELLING OF TRAWLERS. SEVERAL VESSELS SUNK. KEUTRAL SHIPPING PARALYSED. Received Feb. 4, 5.5 p.m. ; London, Feb. 2. Juper-frigltfulness has begun. Submarines are madly shelling trawlers and Binking ships without warning. Sinkings reported are: The British fasonite, the Spanish Algort, the Danish Kepihave, the Norwegian Sardinia, Hecla and Ravensbourne. Two trawlers were sunk by gunfire, three lives being Jest. Neutral shipping is almost paralysed. Switzerland's position is most serious, the country, being faced with absolute ruin, .as the only port connected with /, . its, railways is a small harbor on the Sfteieh coast. ( ' GERMANY'S LAST RESOURCE. Mr. H, W. Massingham, writing in the Natien, says that Hevr von -Beth-<mann-Hollweg recently privately addressed, represientative Germans, admitting that the interior situation was de.plorable,. and that it would be impossible lor Germany to hold out long, though the army might be sustained lor two years. It was, therefore, tieciiied to seek a decisive stroke by sub jnarining. THE GERMAN MOTTO. *WE STRIKE WITHOUT MERCY." ' •' 400 SUBMARINES ENGAGED. Received Feb. % 5.5 p.m. Amsterdam, Feb. 3. Messages show that the Germans an Joing their best to terrify neutrals. Vot Scheer, in a' message to the news , papers, states: "My motto is that oui jUture lies on the seas. The Britisl sea lions may gnash their teeth, but wi strike without mercy!" The German news agencies state thai 400 submarines will take part in th< blockade. All the officers of Germat patrol ships in the Baltic have long as* been called back, and trained in tin submarine service. A great number of Zeppelins of a nev type have been constructed to attac! England. BRITISH CREWS NOT INTIMID ATED. JOTSDAM PIRATES HAVE DONE THEIR WORST. CONFIDENCE IN NAVY. Received Feb. 4, 5.5 p.m. London, Feb. 3. Germany's threat is not making th ' least difference to the crews of mer ■ chantmen, who are confident of th ' Navy's power to cope with every difli culty. The National Sailors' and Fire men's Union states that British sailor are not intimidated by threats o Nothing that the Potsdar pirates can do in the future can be wors than the terrors seamen experienced i the past. If twenty ships sign on tc day, there would not be the slightcs difficulty in getting men. They ».r Jnade of the right stuff. The consensus of opinion in shippin ..... iircles is that the only difference wi be that the Admiralty will have to cop .with more numerous and larger sul jnafines. GERMAN PREPARATION* It is stated that three submarine have been completed weekly in Gel many, there being sixty boats betwee Dantzig and Wilhelmshayen. The crew iliave been given intensive training, an 'have been promised high rewards. Th British Admiralty have long known tt i facts, and have devoted unremitting a tentiwi to the vital business of su] f r«»i»S the Menace. .' WITH MINES,

mining. The Germans have 'been continuously mining certain parts of the North Sea, which our trawlers have been regularly sweeping up. German mining craft are now going farther afield, but it is impossible to mine the ocean as minefields must he placed on certain banks, and in certain narrow water, where they are discoverable. A FRENCH VIEW. The cool, firm attitude of the Allies is well summed up in M. Laeazes' speech in Paris at the Senate,'when he ami: "What more abominable crimes can the Germans commit than they have already committed. They never had any scruples, but have always broken the solemn' conventions they signed at .the Hague." All French merchantmen are now aimed for defence. RESULTS OF BLOCKADE. Thus far the. results of the blockade, as far as Anglo-France are concerned, are insignificant. In the eleven months from January to December, 1910, shipping between French ports totalled 51,700,000 tons, whereof "273,000 were sunk, or less than ! / 2 per cent. If there are greater losses in store, the country will bear the hardships with unshaken morale. A SIGNIFICANT DECISION. NO INCREASE IN INSURANCE RATES. Received Feb. 4, 5.5 p.m. London, Feb. 3. London underwriters, at a meeting, decided not to increase the rates, their attitude indicating that the Allies can cope with the new campaign. SWEDEN'S GRAIN SHORTAGE. SHIPMENTS UNDELIVERED. received Feb. 4, 5:5 p.m. Copenhagen, Feb. 2. The Swedish Government organ, the Stockholm Dag'blad, points out that the Government in 1016 bought 200,000 tons of grain and a vast quantity of foodstuffs from America, and only /0,000 tons have been hitherto imported. This country is threatened with shortage. The newspaper demands the seizure of all raw materials, especially that helonging to foreigners. It also demands drastic restriction of export owing to the shortage of coal. AN UNLIKELY EVENT. A RUMOR WITH A rURPOSE. Received Feb. 4, 5.5 p.m. Rome, Feb. 3. The newspaper Agenzia Liarra learns from German sources that the fleet is fully prepared for another raid in the North Sea. Hundreds of warships are only waiting Berlin's signal. The Pope is appealing to the Central Powers, especially through the Nuncios at Berlin and Vienna, against the unrestrained submarining. SOUTH AMERICAN OPINION. GERMANY NEEDS A STRAIGHT WAISTCOAT. Received Feb. 4, 5.5 p.m. Rio de Janeiro, Feb. 3. The Press condemns the German throats, and insist that if the United 3tate3 is involved, South America must follow her. It is suggested that, as timely protective steps, the neutrals must put Germany in a straight wais-t ! coat. DANISH SHIPPING STOPPED. 1 Received Feb. 4, 5.5 p.m. Copenhagen, Feb. 3. The Danish Ship-owners' Association : has stopped all .shipping to Entente ' countries, pending the result of the Gov--1 crnment's negotiations with'belligerent ' groups. NO SWEDISH INSURANCES. ; Received Feb. 4, 5.5 p.m. Stockholm, Feb. 3. The Insurance Committee has refused to issue policies for vessels loading for ' France or Britain. Mails to England have been stopped. EFFECT ON LINERS. Received Feb. 4, 5.5 p.m. It is understood that a British linei sails on Saturday. American-Scandina-vian liners remain in port at present. SPAIN UNMOVED. Received Feb. 4, 5.5 p.m. / Madrid, Feb. 3. Senor Romanones, in opening the : Cortes, said the Government had not yet - reached a decision with regard to the v German Note, but the nation's life can- - not, and will not, be interrupted. s GERMANS OPTIMISTIC. i New York, Fjlr-uary 2. e Some Berlin correspondent;;, who th( ii first day pointed out the wave of en i- thusiasm in Germany following the d*s t patch of the Note, v.x>. now intimating e that Germany may not enforce the ruth less submarining of neuirais, but earn g out the strictest blockade of England. il Other correspondents assert that few e people in Germany expect war .wit) i- America, believing matters are eapabli of diplomatic adjustment. PRESIDENT WILSON'S SiIFXCE. ■s. Received Feb. 3, 5.5 p.m. New York, February 'i. n President Wilson says he has no an ■s to make to-night. ITu i d still considering what decision to mak e in this grave issue. t- AMERICA ORDERS SUBMARINES. Washington, Fob. "■ The immediate construction of a iiun dred submarines was proposed in a spe c ; al Bill in the Senate to-day, which au tborised.the Secretary.of the Navy t y expend a million sterling In the repai ,h of dockyard*.