The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1917-09-13
ONLY BALTIC REMAINS UN-
DER THE DOMINATION OF
THE TEUTON FLEETS
Foes of Germany Di-
vide the World Waters
America and Brazil on West At
lantic, Japan on Pacific and
England, France and Italy in
Europe Dominate.
BY X. Kay Spencer
bY n hdy Spencer
written especially for Internationa
News SerVice)

written especially for Internationa
News Service)
NEW YORK, Sept. 13-On the seas
Of the world the fighting vessels Of
the allied nations maintain the most
gigantic and effective blockade ever
enforced since the triremes of Caesar
overran the Mediterranean in the
campaign that preceded Pompeys an
initiation
In this sea that has swallowed the
hulks of the navies of Carthage,
Greece and Rome the "camouflaged"
units of the mightiest engines ever
set afloat by man meet in a constant
test of skill and daring. The Anglo
French-Greece-Ital Fleet maintain
a stringent blockade of every mile
of Mediterranean coast line Despite
the alertness of the many allied fight
ing vessels the Central Empires
find here their most profitable hunting
ground. The Kingdom of Italy is
suffering the throes of serious coal
shortage due to the severe losses of
Italian shipping, supplemented by
neutral and British shipping, in these
waters. Indeed, the sinkings are so
numerous and vital that a serious
italian offensive may be always fore
stalled by the undersea power of the
German Empire. Out of one fleet of
coal ships sailing from Geona to Liv-
erpOOl and numbering twelve units
only five returned to their home port
In the Eastern Atlantic and the
English channel there is in effect the
most extensive and impenetrable
blockade of any. During the day
British and French scout ships nose
their precariOus way among the shall
lows in close proximity to the Ger
man coastal waters watching for
sign of enemy forces. These waters
are thickly strewn with mines, both
nations mining extensively to suit
their programme of attack or de-
Tense. Sporadic raids by German
light units are occasionally success
ful, but these are becoming rarer
and rarer. Steel nets are also being
used by the British navy to combat
the submersibles. These, in spite of
all reports to the contrary, are still
in an experimental stage and are of
doubtful effectiveness, especially since
a submarine has been evolved with
machinery for the destroying of the
most powerful nets now in use by the
Admiralty.
With the coming of night and
darkness, the schedule is altered
somewhat, and merchant fleets which
have been forming in sheltered ports
during the day are conveyed across
the channel in we'll defended routes.
The convoy consists of no capital
ships, but of destrOyers and scout
boats, which rush along in devious
courses and at terrific speeds. With
protecting units in front, behind and
surrounding them, the fleet usually
gains the borders of Dutch territorial
waters in safety Here the naval
squadron stops short and the mer-
chants go safely on into their ports
of destination. Shortly afterwards q
returning convoy which has beer
formed energies, and. under the pro.
lection furnished to it, takes its way
westward. Occasionally a stragglel
is tOrpedoed and mine victims are al
intervals found.
Holland, though a neutral, has hei
place in the blockade of the worlds
waters Eliminating Dutch water.
of floating mines and anchored mines
which have lost their anchorage
forces the Netherlands to maintain
an extensive force of trawlers. Hei
neutrality would be frequently VIC
lated by either side of the warning
empires should she enforce in any
lax manner the marine law of the
three-mile limit
In the western Atlantic the repub-
lies of the United States and Brazil
patrol with light vessels practically
the entire American continent. Cana
dian cruisers have their part in this
work. Due TO the naval policy OF
the United States every merchant yes
sci in United States registry forms q
portion of the naval forces in so far
as blockade and defense against the
undersea boats are concerned These
vessels are armed BY the United
States Navy and naval gunners sail
on every ship.
The principal forces in the Pacific
are Japanese cruisers and destroyers.
They have taken over the former Ger
man islands of the Marshall and Mari
anne groups and the east and west
Caroline archipelagoes. The capture
of Esingtau was assured through the
Japanese naval strategy. They lost
by a mine the cruiser Takachido be-
fore this fortress. Valuable service
was rendered to the British and Aus
tralian cruisers operating in this part
of the world in the shape of coal and
munitions II is a signal fact that
OF Japan's 6,039 miles of coast no for
eign enemy has succeeded in forcing
an entry since the Peary incident in
1853 and before that since the at
tempted MOngol invasion in 1881 I'M
der Kublai Khan
The most recent entrant in this
struggle is the kingdom of Siam
The kings yacht and several anti
quated motor boats form their navy"
which blockades in its small way
portion of coast where no danger is