Слике страница
PDF
ePub

According to the stories of eight survivors, the Shijiki Maru ran on the rocks during the typhoon, and in a dense fog. Warships are engaged in the search for possible survivors, who may be found on the island.-N. Y. Times, Sept. 11, 1919.

THE FIRST SUBMARINE VICTIM.-In the course of his extremely interesting narrative of the Dover Patrol in the Daily Telegraph, Admiral Sir Reginal Bacon mentions that the submarine menace made a heavy call on our available destroyers, "especially when such vessels began indiscriminately sinking merchant vessels on October 21, 1914." The country may not remember that it was so early in the war that Germany began destroying merchantmen in this way. The first submarine blockade was not proclaimed until February 18, 1915, but for four months the "U"-boats had been trying their hands at the new game of piracy. The promptness with which this method of commerce destruction was taken up, as soon as boats were available for it, shows clearly that it was premeditated, but the earliest sinkings attracted little public attention and no one could have foreseen the lengths to which the submarines would go. Although, as a calculated insult, it was intended to sink the first British merchantman on Trafalgar Day, the incident actually occurred on October 20, 1914, the news reaching England next morning. It was the steamer Glitra, of 866 tons, owned by Messrs. Salvesen, of Leith, and commanded by Captain R. E. Johnston, which was destroyed, U-17 lying in wait for her while she was bound with a general cargo from Grangemouth to Stavanger. The submarine flew the German flag and the Glitra tried to escape, but her speed was too slow and she therefore complied with the signal to stop.-Army and Navy Gazette, Sept. 20, 1919.

SKODA WORKS NATIONALIZED; CZECHS AND FRENCH TO DIRECT.-The famous Skoda arms and ammunition works, near Pilsen, have been nationalized, according to messages reaching here. A new council has been named to conduct the works, comprised of six Czechs and three Frenchmen. The last previous advices regarding the Skoda works were that their purchase was being negotiated for by an American syndicate. A Geneva dispatch on August 31, however, said that there was a hitch in the negotiations due to the differences on the question of the price to be paid.

The Skoda works produced the famous Austrian howitzers, one of the most effective heavy artillery weapons used by the Central Powers in the war.-N. Y. Times, Sept. 29, 1919.

MAKING SAFE THE HIGH SEAS.-One of the most welcome signs of peace for those who travel the high seas, has been the removal from merchant ships of guns, gun platforms, lookout-nests and the bizarre camouflage and their restoration to peace-time conditions. Not only does the passenger embark on a ship which has been restored her external grace and internal comfort, but she can steam on a direct course for her destination without fear of the bursting shells of the enemy raider, or the rending of her hull by a torpedo.

Not all of the war terrors were swept away, however, with the signing of the armistice; for, although the enemy might no longer sow the seas, the roadsteads, and the channels of maritime commerce with the deadly mine, the seas as he left them, were full of this peril. The Allies, of course, did their own share of mine planting; but since they possessed the charts of the mine-fields, the peril was limited. The enemy also was required by the armistice to furnish full plans of his activities.

The work of mine removal has been a simply stupendous task, the largest part of which was the clearing away of the great mine barrage, 250 miles in length, which was laid by our own and British navies. The greater share of the task, involving the laying of between 50,000 and 60,000 mines, fell to

us, and to us was allotted the task of their removal, which in its way, was scarcely less full of peril and less burdensome than the work of putting them down. However, according to dispatches from London, the work has now been completed and we are given credit for its rapid accomplishment. Unquestionably, our North Sea mining operations, including manufacture of the mines in this country; their transport to Scotland; the formation of a great mine laying fleet; the laying of the mines and their remarkably speedy removal, will always be set down as one of the major operations of this great war.-Scientific American, Oct. 4, 1919.

WANTED A BOLIVIAN PORT ON THE PACIFIC.-The government of Bolivia has made a demand on the League of Nations for an outlet to the Pacific. The Port of Arica, the terminus of the Trans-Andean railroad from La Paz, the Bolivian capital, is the port most desired. This port belongs to the Peruvian provinces of Tacna and Arica, which were seized by Chile in a dispute with Peru in 1883.

Arica is connected with the city of Tacna, the capital of the province of that name, as well as with the Bolivian capital. Formerly it was the exporting center for a large number of Andean mining camps, silver, copper and maganese ores being shipped in large quantities. Now, it chiefly handles the exports of Bolivia. These consist chiefly of chinchilla skins, alpaca wool and other agricultural products. Loading and unloading of vessels is effected by lighters in an open roadstead behind the island of Alacran. The trade of the port has not yet rendered it necessary to go to the expense of constructing breakwaters and forming an artificial harbor. Although the Bolivian Government has filed a claim for the port of Arica, it does not expect action to be taken until the pending dispute between Peru and Chile with respect to the provinces of Arica and Tacna is settled. According to the terms of the settlement of the war between these two countries, Chile had to restore the provinces to Peru, but now that the time to do so has arrived, the Chilean Government refuses to relinquish its hold. It has, however, agreed to refer the dispute to the peoples of the provinces. Meanwhile Bolivia is permitted to use the port of Arica freely. Its trade is prospering, according to latest advices.-Shipping, Sept. 27, 1919.

CURRENT NAVAL AND PROFESSIONAL PAPERS

The Low Visibility Phase of Protective Coloration. By Loyd A. Jones. Journal of the Franklin Institute, Sept., 1919.

Radio Direction Finding Apparatus. By A. S. Blatterman. Journal of the Franklin Institute, Sept., 1919.

The U. S. Navy Transatlantic Flight. By Henry Renterdahl. Scribner's Magazine, October, 1919.

Our Restored Merchant Marine. By T. M. Knapper. Review of Reviews, October, 1919.

Universal Training for National Service. By John Erskine. Review of Reviews, October, 1919.

The Victory at Sea. II. The Adoption of the Convoy. By Rear Admiral William S. Sims, U. S. N. World's Work, October, 1919.

Results of the Blockade Upon Germany. By Alonzo C. Taylor. World's Work, October, 1919.

The German Conception of the Freedom of the Seas (Extracts from German sources). By Amos S. Hershey. American Journal of International Law, April, 1919.

The Strategic Value of Shantung. By Arthur Judson Brown. Asia, October, 1919.

How Tirpitz Ruined the German Fleet. By Captain Persius (translated). Journal of the Royal United Service Institute, August, 1919.

The Influence of the Submarine in Naval Warfare of the Future. By Lieutenant W. S. King-Hall, R. N. (Prize Essay). Journal of the Royal United Service Institute, August, 1919.

The Beginnings of Submarine Warfare. By Col. C. Field. Journal of the Royal United Service Institute, August, 1919.

Belgium and Holland and the Freedom of the Scheldt. By Emile Cammaerts. The Nineteenth Century and After.

The Grand Fleet (A Study of Operations including Jutland). By Captain Romeo Bernotti. Rivista Marittima (Italy).

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Chas. Cory & Son, Inc., main office & factory at 290 Hudson Street, New York, N. Y., have announced the opening of a new branch at 207 Market Street, Philadelphia, in order that their ships' electrical installation and repair, and mechanical communicating work may be more expeditiously handled in the Philadelphia district. The Cory Company announces that it will carry in its Philadelphia branch a complete stock of marine electrical appliances and mechanical communication apparatus which will be available for immediate deliveries.

Mr. H. W. Philbrook, formerly with the General Electric Company of Schenectady, has been appointed district manager of the Schutte & Koerting Company's New York office, 50 Church Street. The Schutte & Koerting Company have lately issued a pamphlet entitled "Our Part in the War,' and will take pleasure in mailing a copy to those applying for same.

DIPLOMATIC NOTES

FROM SEPTEMBER 15 TO OCTOBER 15

PREPARED BY

ALLAN WESTCOTT, Associate Professor, U. S. Naval Academy

RATIFICATION OF THE PEACE TREATY

FRENCH CHAMBERS RATIFY TREATY.-Following the ratification of the Peace Treaty by the French Chamber of Deputies, the French Senate opened debate on the treaty October 7 and ratified both the treaty and the Franco-British and Franco-American agreements on October 11 by a large majority. The ratification of the treaty by Great Britain and France left it necessary for only one other of the great powers to ratify in order to put the treaty into effect.

KING OF ITALY ISSUES DECREE APPROVING TREATY.-On October 7 King Victor Emanuel of Italy issued a decree authorizing the government to execute the peace treaties with Germany and Austria, and at the same time setting forth that the decree be presented to Parliament to be converted into law. Since elections for Parliament take place in Italy on November 16, and since the new Parliament will not meet until December, Italy's ratification of the treaty cannot be completed until that month.

EMPEROR MAY RATIFY FOR JAPAN.-Paris, October 8.-Ratification by the Japanese Parliament of the German Peace Treaty is not required by the Constitution of Japan, according to information from Peace Conference circles. Signature by the Emperor after consultation with the private diplomatic council constitutes the necessary ratification, and this is expected to be effected by October 15.

If two others of the five great powers have communicated the official announcement of ratification to the French Foreign Office by that time, or if the governments of France and Great Britain have joined the sovereign of Italy in completing the forms of ratification before, a proces verbal will then be drafted by the French Foreign Office stating that the documents have been deposited there, and the date of this document will be that on which the treaty will come into force.

The state of war will be at an end from the date of the proces verbal, and, with the reservations stipulated in the treaty, official relations will then be resumed between the allied and associated powers and Germany.

Directly after the Versaills Treaty has come into force, the Council of the League of Nations is required to meet in order to intervene immediately in a certain number of urgent questions, such as the appointment within a fortnight of members of the commissions to delimit the frontiers of Sarre district and Danzig.-N. Y. Times, 9/10.

PEACE TREATY DEBATE IN U. S. SENATE.-On October 2 the Fall Amendments to the Peace Treaty, which would have barred American representation on the various commissions created in the document, were defeated by a vote in which those opposed to the amendments received a majority rang

ing from 5 to 10 over those in favor. On October 16 the Shantung Amendments, providing for the transfer of Japan's privileges to China, were defeated by a vote of 55 to 35.

During the week ending October 12 insistent efforts were made by middle ground" senators to persuade Democratic leaders to agree upon compromise reservations to the Leage of Nations Covenant, in order that the entire treaty might not be defeated. The administration senators held out against any compromise that involved sending the treaty back to the Peace Conference, and threatened themselves to vote against a ratifying resolution in which "killing reservations" were made.

GERMANY

ALLIES INSIST ON EVACUATION of Baltic PROVINCES.-In the third week of September the Paris Supreme Council sent a note to Germany renewing its demand that German troops evacuate Courland and other Baltic provinces formerly a part of Russia. In reply on October 5 the German Government stated that it had recalled General von der Goltz, commander of the German troops in the Baltic provinces, had stopped pay, supplies, and munitions on September 25, and had thus exhausted its means of coercion. It suggested that an Allied commission should be sent to the Baltic to verify these facts. On October 10, Marshal Foch was directed to renew the Allied demand and to place upon the German Government entire responsibility for its execution.

German reports of the same date stated that the greater part of General von der Goltz's army, variously estimated to number from 35,000 to 60,000, was leaving the provinces. But on October 11 came news to the effect that German forces in cooperation with Russians had occupied the port of Riga and compelled Lettish troops to evacuate the city.

GERMANY GIVES UP AUSTRIAN UNION.-Paris, September 21.-Baron Kurt von Leersner, President of the German Peace Delegation at Versailles, to-morrow afternoon at 4 o'clock will sign the protocol annulling Article 61 of the German constitution, as demanded by the Peace Conference. The signing will take place at Versailles and will be private. Jules Cambon of the French Peace Mission will be the only Allied representative present.

Article 61 of the German constitution would have given Austria representation in the German Parliament. The Supreme Council declared that this provision was contrary to the stipulations of the Versailles Treaty.N. Y. Times, 22/9.

ITALY

D'ANNUNZIO AT FIUME.-On September 13, Gabriele d'Annunzio, the poet-aviator, entered Fiume with about 2300 troops and 40 motor lorries, the 6th Italian Army Corps which was in the city refusing to prevent his entry and for the most part joining his undertaking. General Badoglio, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Italian Army, was at once sent to Fiume with full powers, but failed completely to bring the troops within the city under government control. The French and British garrisons for the most part withdrew on September 15.

« ПретходнаНастави »