The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1917-05-24
THE USE OF SEA MINES.


In the present war mines at sea have been used
to an extent previously unprecedented. Many Of
the early naval losses were due to mines; and as
the conflict progressed, their use became contin-
ually more widespread.
Information given out by the secretary of state
at Washington indicates that the first mining on
the high seas was done on August Z, 1914, by the
German admiralty which at that time publicly an
nounced that it had mined the trade routes to
Great Britain. According to the same informa-
ton, the British admiralty did not at once retail
late, though on August II the British admiralty
gave notice that it reserved the right to do so.
The United States on August 10 Of the same year
protested against such a step by Great Britain,
even though Germany has set the precedent.
The United States in the anne month received
two subsequent notifications to similar effect from
Great Britain, but it was not until October 2 that
formal notice was given that the British admiralty
had laid mines in certain waters Of the North Sea.
From these beginnings, the practice Of using
sea mines for both offensive and defensive pur-
poses has been widely adopted by all belligerents.
In its notes of March, 1915, the German en-
bassy at Washington explained that the American
ships Carib and Evelyn were sunk through fail
ure to regard the directions of the German admir-
atty; that they carried Dutch pilots secured
through English authority instead of German pill
OTIS who would have known the safe course to pur-
sue in seeking German ports. The influence of
course being obvious that the vessels in question
were sunk by German mines.
These were not, of course, the only instances of
trouble resulting to ~neutrals through the use of
sea mines. They were the subject of frequent
notes in the early stages of the war. It is stated
that Great Britain furnished pilots to all United
States ships bound to British ports, to safeguard
their passage through the dangerous mine fields
planted by the British admiralty.
AhAAAAAAA
CARING FOR SOLDIERS DEPENDENTS.
The governments ~selective draft system, and
its policy Of enlisting for active service only SOL
diers without dependents, will to a large extent
avoid one of the most difficult problems which our
Canadian ~neighbors had to face-that Of caring
for soldiers dependents.
Yet the problem cannot be entirely eliminated.
of men now in the regular army have
dependents. Others who enlist while they have
no one dependent on them will in the course Of the
war probably be obliged to assume such response
bilities. The problem will doubtless grow in diff
Guilty if the war is protracted.
In Canada, soldiers pay was greatly increased,
provision made for separation allowance to de-
pendents; and in addition, a voluntary o~rganiza-
ton, the Canadian Patriotic Fund, provides by
subscription for the care Of dependents.
Some citizens insured the lives Of recruits. Gov
pensions are also provided. /
Our government will -assuredly not be penur-
ious; but red tape may cause some hardship, and
this II should be the work Of volunteer relief or
ssniSstiops to Alleviate. |