Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-02-23
COMMONS IS TOLD
U-BOAT MENACE HAS
NOT BEEN OVERCOME
Sir Edward Carson Announces
Toll of Ships Sunk Greatly
Increased in First Eighteen
Days of February


WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.-The United
States in a note transmitted to the Ber-
lin foreign office through the Spanish
ambassador there. has again demanded
the release of the Americans made pris-
oners on the prize snip Yarrowdale. In
the absence of satisfactory response
to an inquiry sent recently, it was de-
cided to demand their immediate release.
LONDON, Feb 21.-Sir Edward Car
son, first lord of the admiralty. told
the house of commons today that the
submarine menace had become grave and
serious. The menace had not yet been
solved, but measures adopted. he said,
would mitigate it by degrees.
Sir Edward said an anti-submarine
department had been established in the
admiralty composed of the most eX-
perienced and capable men in the navy.
The number of armed merchant ships
has been increased AIS per cent in the
last two months.
Sir Edward announced that in the
first eighteen days of February eighty
nine allied and neutral steamers of more
than 1000 tons had been lost, their to-
tai tonnage aggregating 26S,000. This
was compared with losses of siXty-nine
vessels of 100000 tons in the first
eighteen days of December, and of six
ty-five vessels of 1920 tons the first
eighteen days of January.
While not giving the number of sub
marines destroyed, Sir Edward said he
had a record of forty encounters with
them during the last eighteen days.
The Official Gazette today contains an
order in council, dated February 16, for
tightening the blockade of the countries
with which Great Britain is at war, as
a rule of the German blockade memoran-
dunn of January 81 and similar enact
ments of other hostile countries.
TEXT OF THE ORDER.
Whereas, these enemy orders are in
fragrant contradiction" the order reads,
"of the rules Of the international law
the dictates of humanity and treaty OBJ
legations of the enemy. and render iC
necessary for further measures to be
adopted in order to maintain the eff
ficiency of those previously taken to
prevent commodities reaching or leaV-
ing enemy countries.
His majesty has ordered that the
following directions shall be observed
respecting all vessels which sail from
their port of departure of the date Of
this order.
"First-A vessel which is encountered
at sea on the way to or from port IN
any neutral country affording means
of access to enemy territory without
calling at a port in British or allied ter
ritory shall, until the contrary is estab-
lished, be deemed to be carrying goods
with enemy destination or of enemy
origin and shall be brought in for eX-
animation and if necessary for adjudica-
ton before a prize court
secondary vessel carrying goods
with enemy destination or enemy origin
shall be liable to capture and condemna-
tion in respect of the carriage of such
goods, provided that in the case of any
vessel which calls at an appointed Brit
ish or allied port for examination of
her cargo no sentence of condemnation
shall be pronounced except on carriage
Of goods of enemy origin or destination
and no such presumption as laid down
in article one shall arise.
"Third-Goods which are found on eX-
animation of any vessel to be goods of
enemy origin or destination shall be
liable to condemnation