, 1915-02-20

steamer "VilIe de Lille" belonging to the
Compagnie 6e Navigation des Bateaux 4
Vapeur du Nord, while en- route from Cher
boorg to Dunkirk sighted the German sub
marine U Is near the lighthouse at Bar1eur,
at 1.3O yesterday afternoon. The steamer
endeavoured to escape. bat was outspeeded
by the submarine, which board9d her and
gave the crew ten minutes to leave in the
ships boats. They then sank the steamer
by bombs placed in her interior. The U IS
subsequently, headed for a Norwegian steam
er but sank out of sight when q division Of
French torpedo boats from Cherbourg APP
peared.
The chord Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung''
continuing its policy of outlining the German
position in connection with the blockade,
declares: owe will place mines before every
possible British harbour entrance. It is some.
thing we are legally entitled to do in as much
as all British ports have been declared war
ports. Our under sea boats have contrivan-
ces for mine laying and will make lavish use
of them. Our submarine Captains have been
told to carefully guard neutral shipping anG
there is not a single one who cannot discern
between q neutral and enemy merchantmen,
but mines are blind and may strike anything,
and because of this grave danger we cannot
too strongly urge all neutral shipping to keep
away from English and French ports"
The "Daily Mails correspondent at Copen-
hagen says: II learn from Hamburg that
the German submarines have received de-
tailed instructions that the blockade of Eng
land gives them the right to regard and
treat all merchantmen found within the
blockaded area, for the purpose of conveying
anything to England, as enemy ships en-
gagged III illegal operations. The submarines
should approach merchantmen if possible
without being seen and should torpedo them
Immediately, without the slightest examina-
ton regarding their nationality, or in any
way concerning themselves with the fate of
their crews. Neutral vessels which break a
blockade have no rights at all according TO
international Law. Although not directly
stated in tue instructions, it is understood
that the desire is that the crews Of torpe-
doed ships should perish, SO that no evidence
should remain regarding the fate of the
ships, the German authorities believing that
the disappearance of many merchantmen
with all hands will produce the most terror
izing effects
London, Feb. 19th-In the House of Com
mons, replying to a Labourlte melton that
the Government should take over the trans
port service and fix the maximum prices of
food and coal, Mr.. Runciman, Preside, t of
the Board of Trade, said the Government
already had pooled the railway cars to pre-
vent congestion. Financial measures were
taken at the commencement of the war which
insured the flow of trade and had prevented
food from reaching much higher prices than
now prevail. The commodity which had
increased most was wheat, bat that was con-
trolled abroad. There WAS no evidence Of
any unnatural holding back of stocks in this
country. He would not hesitate regarding
a state control of ships if he thought this
would be to the national interest, but he
belle we'd 1t would make the situation tenfold
worse. Freights were measured by the
needs of traders for ships, aud the freight
increases we're not due to the wicked machi-
nations of ship owners. The increased cost