The Cook County news-herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Cook County, Minn.) 1909-current, 1917-08-15
NORWAY.

A Norwegian steamer, the Thorum,
In coast traffic, chartered by the Nor
wegian government itself with cargo
Of hay to relieve the fodder famine
in the northern part of the country,
was stopped by German U-boat in
side the three-mile line, that means
In Norwegian waters; the Norwegian
flag was lowered and the German flag
was run up, as the German U-boat
chief declared the steamer a German
prize because of lack of special clear
ing papers. A Norwegian torpedo boat
arrived, the Norwegian captain de-
clared that as the steamer was in Nor
wegian waters, she was not liable to
be seized by German U-boats, ordered
the Norwegian flag flown again, and
the German lowered. After some ar
gument, however, he yielded to the
German view and allowed the steamer
to be taken as prize to a German port
and the Norwegian flag for the second
time displaced by the German. This
happened May 16 and, upon an in
terpolation in the storting regarding
this affair Minister Of Foreign Affairs
Ihlen answered that the governments
protest in Berlin and the assurance of
the steamer being a government char
tered boat had only met unwillingness
to straighten out the affair and give
a satisfactory excuse. On the con-
trary, there was no prospect of the
ship being released in the near future,
as the case would be tried before
prize court. More humiliating was
the announcement that the Norwegian
crew now would be brought before Ger
man court-martial because they, &C.
cording to orders from a Norwegian
naval officer in Norwegian waters, had
hoisted the Norwegian flag.
international fish story. A member
of the crew Of the Berlin, a converted
German cruiser which has been in
termed at Hommelvik, near Trondhjem,
almost since the beginning Of the war,
has been in the habit of netting found
ers in the bay. The other morning he
found his net cut to pieces and part
Of it gone. Members Of the crew of
the British steamer Kovno, which was
at anchor in the harbor at the time,
were suspected, and the police boarded
the ship to get light on the matter.
Yes, three men had been out fishing
md their gear got caught in net,
which they pulled up and cut to pieces
In order to get rid of it. The Germans
tried to make out that the work was
case of malice prepense; but the au-
thorities came to the conclusion that
the English, who were young men, who
knew next to nothing about the mys-
teries of fishing, simply and honestly
knew no better.
Norway has grown rich during the
war. But in spite Of the golden food
there has been no such suffering in
the country since 1912, when the crops
failed to such an extent that people
actually had to systemize the making
Of bread out of pine bark. Food and
fuel are getting more scarce from day
to day, and still worse times are in
sight on account of the American en-
barge on the staple necessaries Of
life.
A fire in Trondhjem spread to differ
ent points among the vast storehouses.
During the fire a Norwegian steamer
blew up. Supplies for the allies re-
ported worth millions have been de-
stroyed.
Norway has more money at present
| than ever before, but is lacking in
food, according to Knut Bachke and
Anders Borresen, bankers of Christi
ania, Norway, on their way to the Pa
cifc coast. Mr.. Bachke said that
undef an agreement Norway is supply
ing the British government with IS
per cent Of it's surplus hsh catch, and
the remaining Is per cent to Germany.
he said that If the United States re-
fuses to sell; food to Norway because
Of the percentage Of fish sold to Ger
many, Norwegtans will not be- able to
feed Themselves : "