The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-11-03
ALL NORTH SEA
TO BE MINED
Great Britain Is to Take This Action in
Reply to Germany's Act in Mining
the Waters North OF Ireland.

London, Now 3.-The entire North
sea has been declared Il military area
and merchant vessels entering it will be
exposed to the gravest dangers from the
mines which ii has been necessary to lay
and from the warships which are search
ing yigilantly by night and day for sus-
| picious craft.
! This action has been taken as a reply
TO the laying OF mines by the Germans
in the waters north OF Ireland.
The secretary OF the admiralty last
night made the following announcement
of the virtual closing of the North sea
to traffic: During the last week the
Germans have scattered mines indis-
criminately in the open sea on the main
trade route from America to Liverpool
via the north of Ireland.
Peaceful merchant ships have already
been blown up with loss of life by this
agency. The White Star liner Olympia
escaped disaster by pure good luck and
but for warnings given by British cruis-
ers other British and neutral merchant
and passenger vessels would have been
destroyed.
These mines cannot have been laid
by any German ship of war. They have
been laid by some merchant vessel fly
ing neutral flag which has come along
the trade route as if for the purpose of
peaceful commerce and, while profting
to the full by the immunity enjoyed by
neutral merchant ships, has wantonly
and reeklessly endangered the lives OF
all who travel on the sea.
"In these circumstances, having regard
to the great interests entrusted to the
British navy to the safety of peaceful
commerce on the high seas and to the
maintenance within the limits of inter-
law of trade between neutral
countries the admiralty feels it neces-
sary to adopt exceptional measures, ap.
to the novel conditions under
which the war is being waged.
They, therefore, give notice that the
whole OF the North sea must be consid- |
cred traders Of all countries, fishing |
craft and all other vessels will be ex-
posed to the gravest dangers from mines |
which it has been necessary to lay, and |
from warships searching yigilantly by
night and by dry for suspicious craft.
"Al merchant and fishing vessels of
every description are hereby warned OF /
the dangers they encounter in entering t
this area. except in strict accordance
with admiralty directions. Every effort
viii be made to convey this warning to
leutral countries and to vessels on the
yea but from the fifth Of November on
wards the admiralty announces that all
hips passing line drawn from the
iorthem point of the Hebredes through
he Farne islands TO Iceland do so at
heir own peril.
"Ships of all countries wishing to
radc to and from Norway the Baltic
Denmark and Holland are advised to
ONE. if inward bound, by the English
hannel and the straits of Dover. There
hey will be given sailing directions
which will pass them safely so far as
'reat Britain is concerned, up to the sea
cast of England to Farne island,
Whence safe route will. il possible, be q
iven to Lindesnas lighthouse.
From this point they should turn
orth or south, according to their desti
alton keeping as near the coast as fos-
ible. The converse applies to vessels
utward bound.
"By strict adherences to these routes
he commerce of all countries will be !,
bic to reach its destination in safety so
ir as Great Britain is concerned, but {
ny straving even for a few miles, from :
'e course thus indicated may be fol
WED by fatal consequences"