ON THE SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 June 1918, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

A BIG NAVAL OFFENSIVE. GERMAN PREPARATIONS. THE BOASTFUL TIRPITZ. Received June 13, 12.20 a.m. Washington, .June IIOfficial Swiss despatches state that Germany js preparing a big naval offensive Orders have been given to keep the whole fleet in readiness. Officers of high rank have hurriedly been recalled from SwitzerlandThe Hamlhurger Post, in an interview with Admiral von Tirpitz, said Germany was mi a position to measure herself with the English Fleet after the land forces had pushed the French and English back on the other side of Paris. Then it would be the Kaiser's turn to drive the English off the seas —Reuter AUSTRIAN SQUADRON. ATTACKED BY ITALIAN TORPEDOBOATS, BATTLESHIP TORPEDOED. Received June 13 1250 ml London, June 12. Italian official:— I Two Italian torpedoboats, at dawn on Monday near the Dalmatian Isles, attacked an Austrian naval division consisting of two battleships of the YiribusUnitis type, protected by ten de3troyers. Our torpedo-boats boldly passed the line of destroyers, and hit the leading battleship with one of the torpedoes. Chased by the destroyers, they returned safely to their base, after badly damaging an enemy destroyer.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assoc- and Reuter. ALLIED LOST TONNAGE. • GERMANS TO REPLACE ITReceived June 13, 1220 a.m. Condon, June 12. Sir Spencer Wilson, speaking at the Imperial Maritime League, said the league's campaign was to ensure the inclusion in the peace terms that the enemy Powers surrender an amount a? mercantile tonnage equal to the Allied tonnage sunk It had been ascertained that the Government had given the league assurances to thai effect.—ißeuter. TRANSPORT SUNK, FIGHTING THE SUBMARINES. Received June 12, 6.5 pjn. New York, June 11. Caibled advices state that the British transport Ansonia, bound to America, was torpedoed. Ninety of the crew were landed at a British port, but forty are missing The captain of a trans-Atlantic liner reported that on June 1 a U4>oat appeared at a short distance The liner attempted to ram it and passed over the subjmrine's stern. The gunners dropped a depth bomb. The 176 passengers at dinner were not allowed on deck. On June 2 a U-boat, disguised as a fishing-boat, approached close before being discovered. The liner changed her course and attempted to ram it, but missed by six teet. The vescls then drew apart. The liner's guns ripped away the conning tower 5f the U-boat, which disappeared. Two hours later a convoy signaled thai a (I-boat had been seen, and they raced in that direction. They dropped depth charges where the submarine submerged.—Press Assoc.

GERMANY'S BARBAROUS METHODS. SCANDINAVIANS PROTEST. Received June 12, 11.5 p.m. Copenhagen, June 11 The Scandinavian Committee of the International Transport Workers' Federation passed a resolution strongly condemning Germany's war methods, which are not confined to destroying enemies' imports, but preventing the necessaries of life from reaching neutral countries, whose disinterested inhabitants are exposed to hunger The resolution also condemned the sinking of neutral vessels, thereby exposing in a base and murderous manner neutral seamen to great suffering and painful death; demanding in the namo of humanity that these acts shall cease, as the barbarity of such methods cannot be defended, but will remain for all time a dark blot of shame on the shield of the country concerned. —Reuter. U-BOAT SIGHTED. Received June 12, 9.35 p.m. New York, June 11. A steamer that has arrived reports she sighted a U J boat on Monday evening 250 miles off the Jersey coast.—Pre»i Association.