The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-03-20
Sinking of the Liner Tuban-
tia Greatly ArOuses the
People of Holland
OFFICIALS BELIEVE
SHIP WAS TORPEDOED
Chances Out of Hundred That Lin
er Was Victim of Submarine =
Berlin Denies This Report.

THE HAGUE, March 20, via Lon
don.-The press of The Netherlands in
the sinking of the liner
Tubantia refers to tbs possibilities of
war between Germany and Holland.
The Amsterdam Handelsblad, after
discussing the uselessness of such q
conflict and considering the many ties
between the two countries, adds:
Nevertheless, nothing would be
more damaging to our independence
and national existence than the con
viction gaining ground that we are
unprepared TO shed our blood for the
defense of our rights and indepen-
dence.'
The Handelsblad does not believe,
however, it says, that Germany will
withhold clear guarantees against
repetition of such an incident as that
of the Tubantia, and continues:
eff the attack was made against
the orders of the German admiralty
we expect the submarine commander
will get what a pirate deserves. -
The Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant
says: If the German navy seeks a
conflict with us it should say so. The
German government is using the
surest means of hurting our national
feelings
The Vaderland asks if the time has
not come for America, Holland, Ar
gentina Brazil Chile, Sweden, Nor
way and Denmark to take combined
action, as their interests coincide and
there can be no doubt concerning their
sentiments The South American re
| publics are interested, it continues
because the loss of the Tubantia de
| privcs them of one of the few re
$40, IL Is.
! Naderland believes that joint diplo-
matte pressure would convince Ger
tmanv that the present method of sub
marine warfare must be abandoned.
I Second Engineer De Groot of the
Tubantia now makes the statement that
an hour and a half after leaving the
ship he saw submarine of foreign
build -
The Netherland ministcry of ma
rine doese not declare definitely that
1.-THE steamship Tubantia was torpedied
but from all evidence in its possession
regards it as extremely probable. j. j
Rambonnet, minister of marine, con
firmed report that an affidavit hat
fbeen made by the first mate, the fourtl
mate and the outlook in which they
said that they saw white streak
which is explainable only as the tract
of torpedo approaching the ship
When the streak touched the Tubanti,
an explosion followed. The Tubantia
according to the affidavit, had all bu
stopped when the explosion occurred
The vessel was hit midship, aft on tn
starboard side two meters below tn
water line.
In view of all of this evidence, Min
lister Ramhonnet declared that tn
only conclusion left was that the Tu
, bantia was torpedoed and sent to til
bottom. In FACT he declared, q
regard it as 90 out of 100 chances tina
she was torpedoed.
Minister Rambonnet added that tn
ministry of marine was making furthe
, investigations. A Rotterdam salvin
! company, he said, would begin work o.
Monday with diving operations at tn
spot where the Tubantia sank with tn
/ hope of establishing more definitely tn
! nature and cause of the explosion.
BERLIN, March 20. - Baron Gever.
minister from The Netherlands to Gel