The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-01-31
BLOCKADE OF
ENGLAND IN EFFECT
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ready the entire British fiotilla OF de-
stroyers has been ordered out from
along the various harbors all along
the coasts. In addition the scout
cruiser fleet is searching for German
submarines, as it is fully realized that
the U-21 can hardly be alone.
Inasmuch as the bulk Of the British
shipping Is now centered at Liverpool,
due to the closing OF many other
ports because of the necessity for
handling the Kitchener volunteer
army, which is being transported to
the continent through them, 1t is be-
Iieved that the Germans have that
port as their main objective.
All night the Offices Of the admir-
atty have been lighted up. Messen-
gers have been coming and going and
Admiral Fisher has been in almost
continual consultation with the mem
bers of his staff.
The fact that German submarine
had succeeded, in reaching Fleetwood
which is one of the most popular wat
ering places on the northern English
coast in the Irish sea, has caused fully
as great a sensation as did the Ger
man raid on north coast cities. It is
in Lancaster county, on the Wyre, at
the entrance to More Gamble bay and
the presence of a German submarine
there is considered very significant.
The German submarine U-21 is one
of the largest of the German subma-
rines It was commissioned In 1918,
and has displacement Of 100 tons;
Etilizes heavy oil as motive power,
has a speed Of IA knots above water,
ard 8 knots submerged.
Ben cruachen Goes Down.
LONDON, Jan. 30.-Germany is
continuing her plan OF destroying
British merchantmen with her sub
marines. The steamer Ben Cruacn.
en- was torpedoed today off Fleet
wood, by the German submarine u
81. She sank almost Immediately.
The crew. forced to take to the boats,
was landed at Fleetwood shortly after
eleven o'clock tonight.
The latest destruction of a mer-
chairman was believed here to ind1-
cate that the policy suggested by
Grand Admiral Won Tirpitz In his re-
cent interview with Karl h. Won
Wiegand, OF the United Press. is now
to be followed to conclusion. Com
ing on the heels Of the sinking of
another British merchantmen off the
coast of Holland, it is considered
certain by the British admiralty Off
Gals that Won Tirpitz has brought
the German general staff around to
his way Of thinking.
The Ben Cruachen carried crew
Of twenty men. They report that as
they were steaming along. the subma-
rine suddenly came to the surface d.
rectly ahead Of them. A shot across
the bows of the merchantmen, COM
PEELED her to stop. Immediately an
officer from the U-21 came on board
and ordered the crew into the boats.
They were given time to take with
them only the clothing they stood in
and their ditty bags. The submarine
towed their boat away from the
steamer and then. after casting off.
sent a torpedo against the hull OF
the Ben Cruachen. almost blowing
her to pieces.
Officials OF the admiralty now de-
clare that this action following the
sinking Of the purward off the Hook
of Holland, can be Interpreted only
as the Inauguration of general plan
TO SILK 6TltISI Observation-Disclosures eAu VI
d6rs have been issued to the home
defense fleet to act as conveys to all
British steamers SO soon as they are
reported In home waters.
Intense indignation was expressed
at the admiralty over the latest out
rage" 1t is believed here to mean
that the Germans. realizing their fleet
is impotent against the British fleet.
will now attempt to create a reign OF
terror in British shipping, In the
hope that neutral commerce will be
shut off from the British Isles.
While the North sea shipping is
comparatively unimportant, it is
feared the Germans may try to in
crease their base Of operations so
they can attack the Atlantic ship
ping. This is known here to have
been the policy outlined by the Ger
man naval commander-in-chief to Won
Wiegand and it is certain steps have
been taken to checkmate 1t. mas
much as there are many big liners
in the transatlantic trade, the Ger
man plan, II persisted in, will necessd-