ON THE SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 March 1918, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

GERMAN ICE-BREAKER SUNK. THROUGH STRIKING A SflXB. Received March 12, 1.5 a.m. Copenhagen, March 11. Hie large German ice-breaker HindenUirg struck a mine south of Aaland and sank, most of the crew being saved. COMPLETE DARKNESS OX SHIPS. London, March J& Sir Eric Geddes' statement rega-rdin<. the darkening of ships, referred to in .yesterday's cablegrams, was that the ' enemy was often assisted by insufficient precautions as regards lights on ships. , Absolutely complete darkness was esseni ' tial foi their protection. THE IGOTZ MfcXDI SALVAGED. Received March 11, 8.10 p.m. Copenhagen, March 10. The Igotz Mendi has been salvaged. . aged. Her valuable cargo is being uuaged. Her valuable corgo is 'icing unleaded. EXCITIXG FIGHT WITH SUBMARIXE A statement by the French Ministry oi Marine concerning tlie sinking of the old French cruiser Chateau-Renault says that the warship with several other vessels was attacked by a submarine in the lonian Sea at 7.15 o'clock on the morning of December 14. The statement Bays: •'The. tprneuo struck on the starboard side iu the region of the stokehold, '■ which it flooded, at the same time bursting steam pipes, which stopped the engines. The captain at'once manned the hand steering-gear and steered so as to utilise the momentum of the ship and approach tlie shore, which was in sight. Passengers and the crew were ordered to their boat stations at the sound i.f Ue explosion. Torpedo-heat destroyers, which formed a part of the convoy, dashed-in the direction from which tin torpedo had come and volleyed shells at the spot where it was presumed the submarine had submerged. "While the boats were being lowered from the Chateau-Renault the enenn submarine came up on her left The cruldcr had sunk to her gun ports, hut . ' nevertheless the gun crews remained their posts and opened a hot fire on the • submarine, which promptly dived. A second torpedo was fired shortly afterwards and struck the Chateau-Renault .on the starboard side forward. S'ic sank bv tlie head, a few minutes after the captain got Rboard a patrol boat. All passengers were saved, but ten <jf the crew are missing and arc supposed to have teen killed by the explosion. "The torpedo-boat destroyers, overloaded with survivors, renewed the attack on the submarine under water and then on the surface when she appeared for an instant, only to submerge again precipitately under fire of the guns of the destroyers. Two seaplanes then bombed her. The submarine probably had been struck by a shell so as to make it impossible for her to remain submerged, for she appeared once again and was immediately covered by a rain of shells. One of her gunners was swept overboard by a shell while in the act of aiming his piece, and all the others jumped into the sea, while the submarine sank like a stone, torn to pieces bv French guns. The prisoners number 22, among them the captain of tile swb■wtfuia and two officers."

SPAIN. CABINET RESIGNS. <fITI»IJNOONSTJTUTIONAL DECREE. jjondon, March 10. The Madrid correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says that the Council of Ministen hag approved the Royal decree authorising the expenditure of £8,000,000 in TncreaMng officers'ipay and providing t> huge increase in tie army, including oao artillery and two infantry divisions, also strengthening the naval bases against invasion. The public is astounded, believing the decree to be unconstitutional. There has been nothing similar in Spain's political history, and it is a heavy blow to uemcer&cy. Senor Gnneno, Minister of Navy, representing the Romanes' section, has resigned in protest, thus precipitating a Cabinet crisis; The Cabinet has resigned, and the King has accepted Senor Meters resignation.