THE SUBMARINE CAMPAIGN

Taranaki Daily News, 31 March 1917, Page 5

THE SUBMARINE CAMPAIGN

ANOTHER STEAMER SUNK. DEATHS FROM EXPOSURE. London, March 29. The Alnwick Castle. was torpedoed without warning oil March 19 in the Atlantic, 320 miles from land. Four boats have been picked up. Thirteen of the occupants had died. One boat is still missing. THE WEEf'S RECORD • London, March 29. The Admiralty ;. ..oi-ta: —Arrivals for the week, 2314; B-ulingi, 2433; sunk, 18 vessels over 1600 vjna, including V Asturias, and seven vessels unci. • 1000. Thirteen vessels were unsuccessfully attacked. Ten fishing vessels were sunk, of which nine were sailing boats. An Italian communique shpws that of the very laTge tonnage entering and leaving Italian ports during tiie wgek four Italian steamers and one sailer have been sunk. The records of submarine losses fori the weeks ended February 25, March 4, 11, 18 and 25. are as follows: Arrivals—22 Bo,' 2520, 1085, 2528, 231-I.' Departures—226l, 2477, 1959, 2554, 2433. Vessels sunk over 1600 tons—ls, 14, 13, 10, 18. Vessels sunk under 1600 tons—6, 9, 4, S, 7. Vessels attacked and escaped—l2, 9. .16, 19, 13. Fishing boats sunk —4, 3, some, 21, 10. THE MINED TRANSPORT. COURAGE OF THE SOLDIERS. London, March 29. The Press Bureau states that the transport Tyndnreus, with a battalion of the Middlesex .Regiment on board, struck a mine on February 8 off Cape Agulhas (east of Capetown) in a strong south-easterly gale. The vessel began to settle after tho explosion, the propellers showing. Tho men paraded in perfect order, the roll was called, the order to stand easy given, and the whole battalion sang. Two steamers dispatched to the rescue arrived in half an hour. Although faced with the probability of imminent death the troops maintained the same steadfast courage and discipline. The incident was in the vicinity of where the Birkenhead was lost. Thanks to the devotioii and perseverance of the captain, officers and engineers the ship was saved and reached Simonstown under her own steam. Two of tho holds were flooded and another was leaking. The troops were landed. The King expressed the deep admiration of all ranks for upholding tho cher-< ished-tradition of the Birkenhead. [The Birkenhead was a British stcaih troopship which was wrecked in Simon's Bay on February ,2l>, 1852, when 454 of the crew and soldiers perished. The women and children were sent off in the boats and the soldiers went down in parade order.]

SINKING HOSPITAL SHIPS. GERMANY'S JUSTIFICATION, Received March 30, 9 p.m. London, March 30. A! wireless Berlin communique justifies the sinking of the A&turias on the ground of Germany's warning on January 31, and repeats the accusation that Britain habitually uses hospital ships to transport troops and munitions, and adds that Germany is constantly receiving proofs of such misuse. REPRISALS DECIDED ON. London, March 20. The newspapers announce that tlie Government lias decided on reprisals in connection with the sinking of the Asturias. The Admiralty will make a Statement in a day or two. r_ __ a LOSS OF ALNWICK CASTLE. ?OU.R BOATS RESC 'IED. A. & N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. Received March 31, 1.50 p.m. London, March 30. The Alnwick Castle the day previously had rescued the crew of another torpedoed British ship. The passengers crew of both vessels abandoned the Alnwick Castle, and left in five boats, whereof one landed on tlie Spanish coast with twenty-nine, including one stewardess and one child. Eight of the party died, and the survivors are suffering from frostbite! Three other boats were picked up during the week. One 'contained twentyseven, another twenty-nine, and the third twenty survivors and five corpses The remaining boat is .unaccounted for as yet. SURVIVORS REACH SPAIN. United Service. Received March 31, 12.30 a.m. Madrid, March 30. The purser, chief engineer and third officer, with four Red Cross nurses, and 47 other survivors of a steamer sunk in the Bay of Biscay have arrived at Gijon. Eighteen of the party have been Bent to the hospital.