ON THE SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 February 1918, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

HEROIC BLUEJECKETS. GAVE THEIR LIVES TO SAVE OTHERS. Received February 7, 5.5 p.m. Ottawa, Feb. 6. It is reported that thirty British bluejackets were killed while attempting to save life at Halifax during the explosion on a gunboat off the harbor. Realising the peril to the city they dispatched a boat load of sailors to go aboard the Mont Blanc and attempt to extinguish the fire or tow the ship away. The men were climbing the vessel'te side when she blew up. THE HELIGOLAND RAID. TO ENTICE THE ENEMY TO SEA. SPLENDID SEAMANSHIP OF BRITISH! CREW?. London, Feb. 0. Details are now available of the thrust into Heligoland Right by British light forces on November 17. The objective was to penetrate the minefields, bag all the available enemy light craft, awl entice Id sea the bigger German ships. At 730 in the morning a procession of efiemy mine-sweeppr«. light cruisers and destroyers were sighted ahead. The British force made full speed and opened fire while the enemy, in a cloud of smoke, fled. Our destroyers over-hauled and sank an enemy mine-sweper and then chased an enemy light cruiser, which was heavily on fire, but the destroyer? fell back upon encountering the concentrated fire of two supporting enemv cruisers.

i The British destroyers were handled i in the narrow mined waters with conS spicuons skill, and effected a withdrawal without being hit or suffering casualties Meanwhile the British light cruiser*, amidst a rain of shells and torpedoes, made a desperate attempt to cut off the enemy, and the running fight continued for two hours over » course extending thirty miles into the minefields towards Heligoland, which was • only 28 miles south-eastward. Then the enemv battle squadron came up at full speed, whereupon our splinter-riddled little attacking force began a perilous retreat under a hail of big calibre shells. The German battle fleet, however, did not proceed very far. The British casualties were light. UNIQUE AMEMCAK DEVICES IN USE. | New York, Feb. ft. The United Press London correspondent learn* authoritatively that the Allies are using unique American deVioes to combat submarines.