Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-11-17
SUNK BY GERMANS
Norway has Lost $50
Vessels and 625 Men.
"White Book" Issued Giving the Beau.
tiful Reasons Why Norway Should
Continue Furnishing Aid to the En-.
envy of Rest Of World.

Christiana. Norway, Oct. 15.-(Cor-
respondence)-The Storthing recently
passed a bill %instructing the govern
ment to publish a white Book with
reports of Norwegian ships lost
through German warfare and quoting
the testimony given before naval
courts.
The book has just appeared in two
volumes and gives information up to
July /, 1917, recording that a total OF
$50 vessels of S55,657 tons together
with 625 sailors have been lost.
These numbers hav been increased
by losses during July, August and
September, making the total $50 YES
sells of 1920 900 tons with 713 sailors
known to have persisted while the fate
of II more is uncertain.
Norway's mercantile marine on
October 1. 1917. consisted of 3,265 yes
sells of 2.126, 209 tons.
The records contained in 5000 pages
of the two volumes of the White Book
shows plainly to what atrocities the
Norwegian sailors have been subjected
by German U-boat commanders. From
September 1916. five months before the
unlimited U-boat warfare was official
~ utCIdieU bN ICIIlldiN, lnlS was uSllle
practiced against Norwegian vessels.
Although the great majority of the
lost vessels are proved to have been
sunk by U-boats, 76 vessels of 100
900 tons are known to have been des-
troyed by explosions wherein 306
sailors lost their lives.
In one column is a record OF boats
intended to be sunk without trace, ac-
cording to Count Luxburg's prescrip-
ton. as no U-boats were seen. while in
other cases the record shows that the
U-boats kept ships and lifeboats un-
der a rapid gunflre killing crews al
ready in the boats. The book tells of
seven ships reported by the German
U-boat officers as having been SUM
but no member of their chew has re-
turned to tell Of the act. Only the Of
fetal German report suggests their
fate.
Several Norwegian vessels have dis
appeared entirely during the war and
the White Book is unable to give any
Information concerning them.
Thirteen Norwegian ships bound for
European ports from Argentina have
been torpedoed without warning. OF
these. two contained wheat for suffer-
ing Belgium n FOUR We're bound to
Scandinavian neutral ports.
The war of determination Of Nor
wegian vessels still goes on but recent
~ with rather less effect thanks to
preventive measures and because the
number of vessels in these waters has
decreased.
The Norwegian papers state that
proceedings against German spies in
Norway and the heavy penalties in
f1icted have to a great extent dimin-
ished the loss of vessels leaving Nor
wegian ports. Heretofore these spies
had reported the movements Of ships
to German T-hoats keeping watch
along the Norwegian coast for their
prey.
The press unanimously urges every
Norwegian to get the White Book and
study it in order to learn what Ger
man kultur is and the treatment Of a
nation toward which the Chancellor
lately said Germany only harbored the
most friendly feelings. The news
paDers also request the Government -
publish the book in English and Ger
man.