Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-04-26
LISBON FEELS
SECURE FROM
SEA ATTACK
Protected by Long Battery
of Destroyers and Cruis-
ers and Gunboats.

Lisbon. Portugal, April 26.-The
harbor Of Lisbon has taken on a dis
tinctly naval aspect since Portugal en-
tered the ranks of the Entente allies.
Off Commercial Square, which corre-
spends with the battery in New York,
two long lines Of destroyers have been
drawn up clear across the broad en-
trance Of the Tagus. The long black
hulls of the destroyers are SO close
at anchor broadside toward the sea,
touching, and presenting a
line of batteries pointing off at
the German submarine darting along
the coast
But Lisbon feels secure against an
enemy attack by sea, for besides the
double lines of destroyers, ready for
defense or quick sortie, there are
cruisers and gunboats with steam up.
and back Of them the big land forth
fcations on both banks Of the Tagus,
rising on high terraces and presenting
a semt-ctrcle Of massive stone fronts
topped with lines of heavy guns. And
besides these land and sea defenses,
there is the feeling that the British
fleet Is not far of and presents a pref
ty solid barrier against the German
feet bottled up in the Kiel canal.
When the British naval commission
visited here a short time ago still an
other naval defense a devised and
has since been put into execution. This
is a heavy steel net extending clear
across the channel leading from Lis
bon to the sea. This can be lowered
at stated intervals for the passage Of
commercial traffic. But when in po-
sition 1t is not only a bar to sub
marines, but any which venture near
it are likely to be caught and held in
its meshes. s7
Two German U-Boats.
There are two German submarines
which appear to be keeping a pretty
constance vigil of the nearby coast.
How they are provisioned and equip
ped is a mystery. They have not done
much damage to large merchant
ships, but give their special attention
to n smaller craft and the fishing
fleets. 1t has practically put an end
to the coasting trade, and a good
share Of the trade of oporto has been
stopped. The shipping to England
and France is also greatly curtailed.
This is adding to England's food dan
ger, for much Of her fruits and
vegetables and most of her wine was
drawn from Portugal.
Portugal is feeling the pinch also,
in being cut off from. a supply Of
coal from the Cardiff coal mines, and
In having its supplies of fish cut off.
Coal has gone up to s37 and $40 a ton,
and is SO scarce it cannot be obtained
at any price. The normal price is
about 81 a ton. Besides the derange-
ment Of domestic heating and cook
ing, and the misery caused to the
poor, the lack Of coal is proving a SER
ious menace to factories, railroads,
tramways and the heating and light
ing Of public places, hotels and the
aters. The government has sought to
remedy the situation by reducing the
lights in the streets. extinguishing
all lighting at an early hour, and ad-
vancing the legal time by one hour
SO that people will get up earlier and
live more in the daylight.
With a long seaco1st Portugal has
always had such ansabundance of fish
as to feel proof against any lack of
meat and other foods. But with the
submarines stopping fishing, the nor
NAL supply Of fish has suddenly been
stopped, and the price has doubled
and trebled, until the poor are unable
to get the usual supply Of fish on
which they depended. Four fishing
boats were sunk within the last week,
one fisherman being killed and three
injured.