The Daily News. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1917. THE PORT KEMBLA DISASTER.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 September 1917, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1917. THE PORT KEMBLA DISASTER.

It was a great shock to the people of the Dominion to learn that a sea tragedy had occurred within a short distance of Cape Farewell on Tuesday, and to the shock supervened a feeling of horror that this useful Cunard steamer had been deliberately blown up by a bomb that must have been placed in the forehold by some fiend in human shape, acting, most probably, under the orders of enemy agents or some traitorous organisation. Happily no lives were lost, as might have been the case had not the vessel been so near our shores, but the malevolent deed is none the less abhorrent on this account, for it had all the dastardly elements that have caused the ruthless Huns to be regarded with loathing. Possibly it will never be known who committed this great outrage, but it bi... 0 s home to all law-abiding people the pestilential presence of malefactors who are ever ready to commit such heinous crimes. The submarine campaign ws understand and have become inured to. but the placing of infernal machines on ships is a crime far more deviiUh than the use of torpedoes, for in the latter case there are chances of escape, biit in the former, none. Unfortunately th(> ■Port Kembla is not by many the first victim of this species of terrorism. A member of the crew attributes the outrage to a particular man engaged in loading the hold where the explosion occurred, but this may be due to prejudice or imagination. Knowing that Oerman agents are everywhere stealthily doing their best (or worst) to cripple and destroy the ships of the Allies, the loss of the Port Kembla might possibly be due to their machinations, but we must also remember that there are other, lawless elements which would not hesitate to commit such a crime. The outstanding fact is that the bomb which exploded on the Port Kembla was placed there purposely and maliciously, and the lesson to be deduced therefrom is the imperative necessity for preventing any j men except those known to be worthy of trust from handling any cargo or coal, forming part of any crew, or being allowed on board of any vessel while in port, besides making provision for the most searching supervision over every vessel before sailing, and the most care' ful examination of the cargo before shipped. In these times of stress, owing to tho shortage of foodstuffs and ping, it is a great blow to lose a valuable vessel and her cargo of frozen meat, wool, etc., besides hundreds of bags of mails. Such a calamity is intensified under the circumstances becauss the need of the produce is so great. Moreover, the vessel carried a large number of gift parcels for soliiirs, the loss of which cannot but be deplored. No condemnation that can be pronounced on such a crime can be too severe, but the worst of it is that the menace remains, and its insiduous nature is such as to almost defv detection. Twenty minutes was all tho time the officers and crew had to make their escape, but 'the best traditious of our merchant service wore most worthily upheld, the captain remaining till the last and having to plunge into the sea just as the ship was being engulfed, jf is such bravery as this that emphasises the cowardice and inhumanity of the criminal responsible for the disaster. Such an act is not warfare, but the lust of destruction in all it» brutal hidaousaess.