The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-08-01

the victory. The British, denying
greater losses, point to the fact that
they still control the seas as the basis
of their right to the title of victors.
London also claims that since the bat
tie 200 British ships, which had been
tied up in Baltic ports since the begin
ming Of the war, have been able to
make their way to English ports unmo
Tested by German warships.
Claims CONNECTING
The German official account Of the
fight saNs that the British losses were
lIl5O tons as against 60 20 tons sunk
by tn" British. The British admiralty
makes no attempt to estimate the loss
in tonnage, but unofficial British esti-
mates place the German loss at lO9, 300
tons as against Il2.35O for the British.
OhciRIIN the Germans have admitted
me loss Of only one capital ship, the
LutZ0W, $500 tons, vessel surpa ssinl
IN tonnage and armament many battle
ships. The British claim to have sunk
in addition two dreadnoughts and prob
ably third. The principal losses ad
mitted by them for their side are the
three battle cruisers, The Invincible,
The interchangeable and the Queen Mary.
One other event on the sea aroused
intense interest. On June 5 Field Mar.
shall Earl Kitchener, Great Britain 3
famous St Of 4
with his staff of the Orknpys when the
cruiser Hampshire went down. It was
at hrst Thought the cruiser had been
the victim of submarine. but this
theory was generally discarded when il
was learned that the warship had
struck mine and gone down in the
midst of II terrific storm
America Involved
The second year of the war was n
memorable one as far as the United
States was concerned. 1t marked the
apparent final passing of the crisis be.
tween this country and Germany over
the submarine warfare which threat.
enrd more than once rupture of rela.
tiohs and even war. The sinking by
a submarine without warning of the
White Star liner Arabic, with the loss
OF two American lives, created a pro-
found impression in the United States.
Germany sent a note to Washington
IN September pleading self defense and
Offering to refer the question of com.
pensation to The Hague, but this was
regarded with disappointment by the
washington government, and the sit.
uatlOn became very tense. In October
Germany disavOwcd and regretted the
sinking of the Arabic
Five months later the British Chan
mel steamship Sussex was torpedoed
without warning while CARRYING more
than 800 passengers, including a num-
Der OF Americans, across the English
hannel. About fifty persons were
killed, and this incident brought the
submarine situation to an acute stage.
Germany at first disclaimed responsi-
bihty for the attack on the Sussex,
but the evidence accumulated by the
United states appeared so overwhelm
ing that President Wilson on April Is
despatched to Germany a note which
vas virtually an ultimatum, and on
the following day personally appeared
before congress and laid the entire
problem before that body. On Nay 10
Germany admitted the submarine at.
tack on the Sussex and promised that
no more liners would be sunk without
farming and without ample oppor-
tunity for the escape of crews and
passengers. These promises were con
sidered satisfactory by the Presi-
deH;, and the war cloud lifted. Since
that time large number of ships have
been sunk by German and Austrian
Submarines, but the rules Of interna-
tional law have been generally OBJ
served.
Another cause of friction between
the United States and the Central Pow
ers was also removed during the year.
Since the outbreak of the war certain
propagandists had been busy instigat-
ing strikes in munition factories which
had contracts with the allies and in en-
deaVOring in other ways to interfere
with this trade. For his activity in
this respect the recall Of DR.. Consluu-
TIN Dumba, Austrian ambassador, was
requested by President Wilson in Sep
tcmber. The following December, for
similar reasons, the President requested
the recall of Capt. Boyd and Capt.
Won Papen, naval and military attaches
respectively to the German embassy.
number of convictions were obtained
i'll the criminal courts in other cases
and the propaganda ceased.
Apart from events in the actual war
theatres the most striking event of the
year in connection with the conflict was
an uprising in Ireland in April The
outbreak was organized by a society
known as the Sim Fem, committed TO
the principle Of an independent Ire,
land. Bloody fighting took place in
Dublin in which hundreds of lives were
lost and the heart of the business
section destroyed, at cost of
many millions of dollars The fight.
ing was sporadic elsewhere in the
islands and of minor importance
The revolt was finally crushed and the
ringleaders executed. 1t led, however,
to an agitation which resulted in the
government preparing a temporary
home rule bill which it expects to pass
through Parliament this fall.
Just before the outbreak of the
rebellion Sir Roger Easement, formerly
in the British consular service. was
arrested on the west coast of Ireland
where he had attempted to land cargo
of arms sent from Germany. He was
tried later for high treason and sentenc-