THE SUBMARINE CAMPAIGN.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 February 1917, Page 5

THE SUBMARINE CAMPAIGN.

ARMING MERCHANTMEN. EXPERTS' OPINION. Received Feb. 10, 5.35 p.m. 'United Service. London, Fob. IS. The British ship Ronisdaleu has been sunk. Experts are discussing tlie need for rapidly arming merchantmen. They state that expedience increasingly proves that even a single gun astern forces submarines to operate under the -water, where thc.r speed is low and the endurance of the electric batteries small. This helps anti-submarine measures, especially near the coast, for when n submarine trie? to return home, or lie at the bottom while carrying out internal repairs, it meets with various electric devices—microphones, trawl nets, destroyer? motor boats, dirigibles and hydroplanes,

ENEMY SUBMARINES. j DON'T NUMBER 200. Reutcr Service.' Received Feb. 19, 5.. r > p.m. Paris, Feb, IS. Experts state that the German submarines, after a fortnight at sea, must be dry docked and have their engines overhauled. They are sent out in squads, the first of which left port on February 5, and is due to return about February 10. The submarines number fewer than 200, and it will take months to build the submarines and train the crews necessary to replace losses. German papers state that the Deutschland is now carrying, petrol for other submarines. i HUNGARIAN CONDEMNATION OF FRIGHTFULNESS. Berne, Feb. 18. Many Hungarian papers condemn submarine {rightfulness. The Pesti Naplo demands that Count Reventlow be placed under restraint. The Nepvana demands the cessation of sea murders. The Hirlap quotes Count Karolyi as saying: "I regret that Hungary has entered on the new declaration of submarine warfare." LANDING OF RESCUED SAILORS. London, Feb. 17. A British officer and 27 of the Chinese crew of the Xetherlee, which was torpedoed on the 12th, have been landed. The explosion killed the engineer and a greaser. The survivors drifted for several days jn bitterly cold weather. TREATMENT OF PRISONERS ON RAIDER. New York, Feb. 18. One of the St. Theodore's sailors, who has arrived in New York, took photographs of the German raider secretly. The photograph shows a long, low, typical one-funnelled, two-masted freighter. The prisoners on board the raider were allowed half a loaf of "black bread daily, lard instead of butter, bitter coffee in the morning, meat stew at noon and for tea at night. They had one hour's exercise on deck daily, otherwise they were herded in a single ill-ventilated large room.

Neutral sailors were allowed to make purchases from the raider's canteen, where tobacco, sweets, lemonade, beer, spirits, and sausagcs_ were sold. The raider's mechanics transformed the St. Theodore with wireless installation and strengthened the forecastle and poem for guns. ' v

LATEST SINKINGS. Renter Service. Received Feb. 19, 5.5 p.m. London, Feb. 18. The seven thousand ton Blbby steamer Worcestershire, is reported to have been sunk. Times Service. Received Feb. 19, 5.5 p.m. London, Feb. 18. , The British vessel Valdes was torpedoed without warning. Two were killed and nine are missing. SERIOUS EFFECT IN SPAIN. Received Feb. 19, 5.5 p.m. Madrid, Feb. 18. Senor Romanones, speaking in tho Chamber of Deputies, said the blockade *aa so serious that the Government was negotiating with the Belligerents with a view to a remedy. AMERICAN SAILINGS NOT PUBLISHED. Reuter Service. '" Received Feb. 19, 5.5 p.m. Waanlngton, Feb. 18. The practice of making public destinations and manifests of ships leaving American ports has been discontinued.

"Wheat is in excellent condition, anil is of good quality," reports "Agrieola,'.' the writer of South Island notes in the Farmers' Union ' Advocate, ''but I am afraid that many of the yields are going •to be very small indeed. This alludes more particularly to the wheat-growing areas along the coast, and for some ,miles inland. It is feared that the average yield in this belt will be no •greater than it was last season. At any rate, paddocks that should turn out fifty bushels to the acre are not going thirty, and that is the best winter-sown wops. The spring-sown crops are infinitely poorer, being very thin, short, and rusty. The fault is that, the grain has not matured. The hot weather killed the crops, •and the heavy rain which fell on Janu,ary 8 -only hastened the process*. The sample is small, fo-aome.cases' only half