The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-02-19
At Least 100 Due Between Now
and Monday.
LOSSES DEEMED CERTAIN
Unusual Precautions Taken to
Conceal Their Routes.
British Warships Will Guard
Every One to Port.
BULLETIN.

Copenha gen. Feb. 19-The first ad-
mission that the present blockade is
C;ermany's last card in the great war
comes from Vice Admiral Kirchoff of
the active service of the German navy.
Writing in the Hamburger Freinden-
blatt. he declared that there is no
question that the blockade must be
made extremely effective.
He admits that Germany now has
insufficient war materials and that
her present great aim is to bring such
a feeling of uneasiness and insecurity
that no human nerve can long stand
the strain and so bring forcibly home
to the allies thed angers that are now
impending.
Washington, Feb. 19-The state de-
partment was advised today that all
travel between England and the con-
tinent has been suspended by the
British admiralty until further notice
The order was taken to mean that
England regards Germany's death
zone" around the British Isles seri-
ously and does not propose to FISK the
lives of any passengers in that area
At the same time, the state depart
military authorities are recurring
every individual to have an individual
passport in entering Germany.
State department OFFICIALS this If
ternoon held that the British order
would not prevent the American mer-
chantmen from traversing the war
zone. if they choose. 1t was not clear
whether British authorities would
grant ciearances to ships touching
English ports en- route from the
United States to the continent.
Dutch shipping, they thought. will
suffer the most, should the British
order mean that any vessel now in an
English port cannot return to the con-
tinent. regardless of nationality. or il
il prevents neutral shipping from
traversing the war zone en- route to
English ports.
Boats Change Their Routes.
London, Feb. 19.-England still
waits for the first report of losses tC
her merchant fleet through German
submarine activity. With the pro-
claimed blockade already in existence
for SO hours. Lloyds has no record OF
any steamers overdue. The admiralty
processes to have no reports of any
attacks on any vessels anywhere. II
was announced that up to the present
none of the fleet of ships which pre-
sent an iron ring around the British
Isles has been engaged.
There is no way of ascertainine
whether the presence of hostile sub
marines has been reported in British
""tVio- hO SOECih hhiCHI pro-
hibited the publication of any report
dealing with the presence of SUBJ
marines or their activities Except as
is announced in the Official statement
of the admiralty and the British
press is adhering to that rule.
The general traffic continues as
usual. The regular boats are making
their trips but in slightly changed
routes 1t is not expected they will
be attacked for the present. There is
not the slightest doubt in the minds OF
traders OF British sea traffic that the
Germans intend to confine their ac-
tivities to the big cargo carrying lin
ers now en- route for various British
ports carrying thousands of tons OF
foodstuffs. At least one hundred YES
sells Of all descriptions are due within
what the Germans have termed theil
prohibited zone" between now and
Monday morning. And that some O.
these are to fall victims to a hostile
submarine is believed certain.
Unusual precautions have beel
taken by the admiralty to proven
knowledge of the routes to be takel
by these steamers becoming known.
is known that most of them will b
met well off the coast by British war
ships which will direct them jus
where to go and will furnish then
with guard into the selected port
But no announcement of arrivals ex
cepting passenger liners,
to be made public for the present.