Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-25
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
LONDON. February 24-It was an,
nounced late today that of the seven.
Dutch steamers torpedoed only three
were sunk. while the four others were
severely damaged. but remained afioat.
Those sunk were the Gaasterland,
Jacatra and the Noorderdijk.
The German legation at The Hague,
says a Reuter- dispatch from the Dutch
capital. has issued a long explanation
Of the torpedoing of the seven Dutch
steamers. in which It says:
The date for the safe Homecoming
Of Dutch vessels from English ports.
which at nrst was fixed for February
5. was subsequently, in view of the
situation in Holland, postponed to Feb
,ruary 9 and February IL. On Febru-
ruary IA Dutch ship owners were. in
formed that their vessels could leave
in group on February % or March IL.
For those vessels leaving on Febru-
ary % only relative safety could be
guaranteed. but vessels leaving on
March II would have an absolute guar
WOULD be impossible by February % to
inform with certainty all submarine
commanders of the concessions made
to Holland"
Blames Ship Owners.
An official statement from Berlin 70.
ceived in Amsterdam and forwarded by
Reuter- repeats the statement issued
by the German legation at The Hague
concerning the torpedoing of the Dutch
steamers. and adds:
The responsibility for it falls on the
ship owners, who preferred to send
out their vessels ON February % on
the promise of relative security in
of ead nf
a bsolute security was promised The
report of our submarines has not yet
arrived"
Burst of Indignation.
THE HAGUE. via London. February
"a. While official circles. remain
grayely calm, there has been an in
evitable outburst of deep Indignation
on the part of the Dutch newspapers at
what the Amsterdam Telegram calls
"a blow in our face and the greatest
to which a neutral state
has been subjected.
The paper adds: I'VE confess inabil-
ity to see how the honor of our nation
can further be maintained by protests"
Other less bellicose newspapers reflect
hardly less enlightenment on the part OF
the whole nation against the latest eX-
ample of German ruthlessness. whde
even German circles. it is learned, pro-
be "a ghastly blunder."
Control Urged.
Amid the chorus of bitter accusations
leveled .at German "frightfulness." the
Vaderland exhorts the nation to exer-
else self-control and not hamper tbs
government at this critical moment.
when an incautious action might pre-
bA NJ hi iTh
be foreseen from the fate of other
small nations.
The shipping section of the Amster-
dam bourse is demoralized. with losses
ranging from 10 to 90 per cent. The in
surance business is paralyzed. The
grain supply problem. which already is
most difficult, has become extremely
acute owing to the loss of cargoes and
tonnage.
,as issued a statement declaring that
he disaster to the Dutch steamers was
Inc ito an extremely regrettable COIN
,fdence of circumstances. which is un.
fortunate, but beyond our control.
Ministry Announcement.
The foreign ministry today made the
following announcement:
when unrestricted submarine war;
are was proclaimed the Netherlands
+ hut insisted that the German govern
nent should take care that no Dutch
bips then en- route to or from Dutch
,orts should be victims OF the new
Measure. Germany declared her will
ngness to do this. but added that 1t
vas impossible to guarantee absolute
afety."
The statement says further that the
even ships which have been torpedoed
vailed themselves of German oner
n sail February %. They were to sail
ogether on a westerly course out of
he danger zone and then proceed to
heir destinations. The report then
nentions the dispatch received from
he Dutch minister in London, an
the disaster. which adds that
he ships were torpedoed without ex-
minatfon of their papers The COM
nunication ends with the statement
hat it is believed all the crews were
aved.
The suggestion has been made to the
Dutch government. the Associated