Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-15
SWEDEN IS BUSY
KEEPING NEUTRAL
Her Plucky Little Navy Watches Bal
Tic Sea and Makes Warning
Nations Behave.

Stockholm, SN enen- -- Correspond
.rcs az the Associated Press) The
fear expressed in government circles
ARC that beINgarepr naval operations
n the Baltic this summer would place
a heavy burden upon Jbe neutrality Of
sweden seems 10 have been amply
tustifed by the events Of the past few
weeks. Tho Swedish navy. small but
eFctant. has worked night and dav
M keep tho territorial waters free Of
Infringement hut despite this Wig
sarco submarines and stealthy de
strovors of the warning powers have
sltpped into the thrce-mile limit and
stolen away with prize.
Germany has been the chief offend
or OF late, but the Russians were
guilty OF poaching earlier in the sum
ner and still hold two German steam
ers taken within the thrce-mile limit
despite the protests OF the Swedish
government.
The Germans seem to have adopted
the practice Of capturing a ship, TAX
ing OF such supplies as they need, and
then releasing the vessel with a polite
spoIogy. Recently a Swedish ship.
the Oscar II-uot the ark of peace
but a tidy little white steamer be
longing 20 the Svea line-was cap
tured by a German destroyer and TAX
an TO a German Baltic port. There
every bit of IubTicating oil was re
moved from the steamer and she was
allowed TO proceed. The Germans nat
uralIy expressed their Willingness L
paw for the oil. They would pay a
fortune TO anyone who could run a
cargo OF oil past the British blockade.
The incidents of sunk or captured
ships have been many. but there have
been far more Uuheraided instances
where raids have been prevented by
the presence Of British cruisers, de-
s,royers and torpedo boats II IS no
easy task 10 patrol a coast line which
stretches from the northern crescent
Of the Gulf OF Bothuia down through
the entire length Of the Baltic and
out into the CaJtegat, nor is il always
possible 70 "ChaperOne" all the mer-
chant ships flying beIligerent flags
and seeking the neutral shelter Of the
three-mlle limit. Il is no strange sight
along the coast to see a German and
Russian "lugEer' ghurEing the waters
side by side. or TO see a German and
an English ship pass in the night with
ont the slightest sign OF recognition.
And e IS always safe 70 assume that
somewhere along this jagged, rocky
coast there is lurking splder-llke
destroyer Of the enemy" ready 20
p0unce upon the steamer the moment
Il may stray outside" or sometimes
through eageTuess 10 step inside
the limit and persuade the richly
laden tramp To steer "a little wide of
the dangerous coast
There have been numerous incidents
~ late wherein the Swedish naval yes
sells have been stripped for action
-r. t..LH H--.
submarines and some OF the naval off,
GERS here i'm Stockholm say they have
rather regretted ii mas never come to
blows for they have had all the
drudgery Of war with none of the
glory
One OF the newest Swedish torpedo
boats, the Castor. lis commanded BY
Prince William. the second son Of the
king and "A very popular young man
The prince lis a great favorite in Stock
holm. but the duties Of the coast pa
trol have kept him away for long
time and his slim little gray vessel
las been one of the chief defenders o.
Swedish neutrality.
Am English steamer recently was
making her way out OF the Baltic when
accos-ed by a German destroyer
Knowing he was within the protection
81 territorial waters. the English cap
tain At first paid no heed. Then the
destroyer Slipped 10 the inside of the
cargo vessel and I'm perfectly good
English The German commander di-
reered the Englisuman 10 steer south.
The order was NOT answered. but soon
The destroyer began 10 crowd the mer-
chairman, So r. VAS necessary for him
Up alter hts course. and ho was grad
laiy approaching the open and Uu-