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VALDEZ. ALASKA. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1917 NUMBER 4H
VULvMKi AAV* __*
6ERMANY EXPLAINS
SAYS EXTREMELY REGRETTABLE
Admiralty Says Inability to Notify
Submarine Commanders of the De
lay in Sailing Cause of Sinking of
batrli Steamers.
BERUX, Feb. 27.—An official
Matement issued by the Admiralty to
day declares that the sinking of the
Dutch ships last week was extremely
regrettable, and was due to an ina
bility of the Admiralty to reach the
commanders of the German subma
rines. It is stated that Germany had
agreed with Holland to permit the
Dutch vessels to sail February 6, and
later this was changed to the 9th. The
vessels were unaccountably held in
port and did Hot arrive off the En
glish channel until the 22nd. In the
meantime the German submarine
tommanders had received instructions
had departed, and it was impos
sible for the Admiralty to warn them
of the delay in the sailings of the
Dutch steamers.
25,000 WANTED
FOB JLS. NAVY
ENLISTMENTS TO BE HUSHED
Maximum Strength of 78,000 In Case
of War—Recruiting Agents Are In
structed to Secure Men at Oi\re—
y Few Recruits Coming Forward.
WASHINGTON, D. C„ Feb. 27.—
Navy recruiting agents have been in
structed to immediately enlist 25,000
additional men, providing they can be j
found.
While the current naval bill au- j
vhorizing a peace strength of 74,000 !
men, it carried appropriations for
considerably less than that number, j
since the department had estimated (
that in the normal course of events:
not more than 10,000 recruits above;
the number necessary to replace men i
discharged could be found. Officials i
have been encouraged by recruiting I
returns during the winter months, j
however, which have brought the act -!
ual strength up to nearly 58,000 al-1
i eady.
In the event of war probably the
first act of the president will be to
authorize the enlistment of the max
imum wartime strength of 87,00*1.
Probably this could be quickly accom
plished by a provision in the depart
ment’s regulations permitting volun
leers to enlist for the duration of the
war and not binding them to a full en
listment in times of peace.
In the war department steps are un
der consideration for hurrying organ
ization of the officers’ B reserve corps.
Less than 1,000 men have been com
missioned so far, although approxi
mately 50,000 would be required for
a volunteer army of 500,000 men. An
official statement issued today calls
attention to the classes of men eligi
ble for commissions and urges that
“’there Is no reason why eligible*
should hestitate to apply for commis
sions on account of being rusty or
even deficient in technical military
training.” It says personality ani
(he probable efficiency of the individ
uals are given the greatest weight by
vxnmining officers. The establishment
of examining boards in every city or
town where a fair number of appli
cants come forward is now being con
sidered.
RIVAL EMBASSIES FIGHT
IN STREETS OF PEKIN
SAN FRANCISCO. Feb. 27.—Ac
cording to word brought here by tou~
iBts, just recently returning from ti:o
Orient, a battle was fought on thn
streets of Pekin between the Italian
and the Austrian legation guards, who
met while on the march thru the
streets. The commands came to an
abrupt halt and before the offlce.-j
could stop the men a battle occurret,
in which many were wounded.
BREAK WITH AUSTRIA
NOW BELIEVED CERTAIN
WASHINGTON, D. C„ Feb. 27.—
Austria has not as yet withdrawn or
modified her not adhering to the Ger
man submarine campaign, it was stat
ed officially today at the State depart
ment.
The possibility that a break with
Austria can be avoided has practically
been given up.
LACONIA SUNK
SUNDAY NIGHT
LONDON CONFIRMS THE REPORT
One Person Killed by Explosion and
a Number Missing—Carried Five
Thousand Sacks of Mall—Reported
Six Americans Aboard.
QUEENSTOWN, Feb. 25.—Advices
received here state that the Cunard
liner Laconia, the sinking of which
was reported yesterday, was torpe
doed at 10:50 Sunday night. The
London office of the Cunard company
denies the report that there, were any
Americans aboard the vessel. The
United States Consul Frost, stationed
here, has wired Ambassador Page at
London that some of the passengers
and crew are still missing, and that
one person was killed when the tor
pedo exploded. Two hundred and
seventy-eight of the passengers and
crew have been landed. Details of
the sinking of the Laconia have not
yet bee.i made public.
Laconia Carried Mull.
NEW YORK, Feb. 27.—The Cun
e.rd liner Laconia, sunk Sunday night
oft the Irish coast, carried five thou
sand sacks of mail from the United
States, in which there were many
valuable securities and documents. At
2 o'clock yesterday afternoon the Cu
nard office in this city received a mes
sage from the London office confirm
ing the report of the sinking of the
vessel. The office here states that
there were six Americans aboard the
steamer.
More Survivors landed.
QUEENSTOWN, Feb. 27.—Pfifteen
additional survivors from the Laconia
were landed here this morning.
HIHSTCHEB
MAY NECESSITATE SLAUGHTER
Steamers Submarined by Germany
Carried Much Cattle Feed and the
Shortage Will Probably Cause Kill
ing to Prevent Starvation.
THE HAGUE, Feb. 27.—The sink
ing of seven Dutch steamers last week
by German submarines is a serious
blow to the country. The steamers
carried a large amount of cattle feed,
and the loss will make it necessary
to slaughter a number of herds to
prevent them starving. In official
circles calmness prevails, but there is
a strong undercurrent of hostility
against Germany. The press is less
cautious and is outspoken against the
outrage, declaring the sinking of the
Dutch is the greatest humilation ever
visited by a warring nation against a
neutral. They prophesy that a dip
lomatic break with Germany is certain
to occur.
FRENCH WRITER SAYS
CAMPAIGN IS FAILURE
PARIS, Feb . 27.—The German
submarine campaign has so far been
ineffective, according t• Marcel Hu
tin, editor of the Echo de Paris, who
is usually exceptionally well inform
ed. As proof M. Hutin says that on
Monday 112 French or neutral ves
sels entered French ports.
Dr. and Mrs. Silverman are moving
today into their new quarters in the
Boyle block, on McKinley street, be
tween Broadway and Keystone.
BRITISH CAPTURE
HOTEL AMARA
TI KKS RETREAT TO WESTWARD
In Address Before House of Commons
Chancellor States Town Has Fallen
to British and Turks Are Marching
Westward.
LONDON. Feb. 27.—Chancellor of
the Exchequer, Andrew Bonar Law,
in an address before the House of
Commons this morning stated that
the British forces in Mesopotamia had
captured the town of Kut-El-Amara,
and that the Turks had retreated to
Bagnailah, twenty-four miles to the
westward, with the British cavalry
pursuing.
TO RE I* RESENTATIVE FLOOD
I
Chairman of House Committee on
Foreign Relations Riven Text of
Desired Hill—Calls S|>eeial .Meeting
of the Committee.
i
I
WASHINGTON. D. C., Feb. 27.
President Wilson last evening handed
to Chairman Flood of the House Com
mittee on Foreign Affairs, a draft'of
the resolution he desired passed by
Congress. The resolution provides
for a bond issue of $100,000,000 to
supply the necessary funds for carry
ing out his plans, and authorizes the
President to supply guns and gunners
from the navy to American merchant
ships for protection against attack,
and also to employ any other instru
mentality for the protection of Amer
ican lives and ships.
Flood flails Committee.
WASHINGTON. D. C., Feb. 27.—
Chairman Flood of the House Com
mittee on Foreign Relations this
morning called a session of the com
mittee to consider the resolution
granting the President the authority
he asked for to deal with the present
grave foreign conditions.
COLD WEATHER CLAIMS
TWENTY-THREE LIVES
ST. PAUL, Minn., Feb. 27.—Dur
ing the record-breaking cold weather
experienced in the territory including
the northern part of Wisconsin, Min
nesota, Dakotas and Canada, twenty
three persons lost their lives and thir
ty-six have been permanently injur
ed.
In this territory more than 3000
of the 11,158 miles of the railroad
normally operated were completely
tied up by snow drifts. Towns in
habited by an aggregate of more
than 10,000 south of the interna
tional line have learned of the trying
situation only through rumors Alter
ing in by the telegraph or telephone
lines.
The deaths durtng the winter are:
In Northern Wisconsin, 2; Minneso
ta, 3; North Dakota, 5; South Dako
ta, 1; Canada, 2.
THREE ATTEMPTS tO
KffdL SENTRIES MADE
OSWEGO, N. Y.rFeb. 27.—Three
attempts were made to shoot the sen
tries guarding the State Armory last
evening. The parties are unknown.
Another line of guards has been ad
ded to the building and every precau
tion is being taken to prevent a reem
rence.
Noted Alienist Dead.
NEW YORK, Feb. 27.—Dr. Wil
liam Mahon, superintendent of the
Manhattan State hospitals for the in
sane since 1906 died'here loday from
pneumonia, fre was one of the best
known alienists in this country and
was chief al\pnist for the state 'n
the Thaw criuijK
Charley Chaplin at the Empress to
night in one of his latest comedy suc
cesses.
sen near
»
I ARTILLERY FIRE DEVASTATING
| Bombardment Maintained on German
Position and Town Is Rained—
L
German Retreat Greatest in Past
Two Years.
(
LONDON, Feb. 27.—Advices from
the Somme front state that the Brit
ish are now within four miles of Ba
paume, and are pouring a devastating
rtillery Are into the German positions
demolishing the town. The retreat of
the Germans before the British attack
yesterday is the greatest in two years,
the British at several points having
penetrated the German lines to a
depth of three miles.
RELICS FOUND OF
STEARRERJfUGATAN
COMPASS AND HOOD BROlTiHT IN
Hoonah Natives Kind Articles Which
Were l>o.st When Well Known
Liner Struck Floating Iceberg and
Beached at Mud Bay.
Memories of the sinking of the
steamship Yucatan in Icy Straits, near
Hoonah, some years ago, were reviv
ed the other day when Jack Campbell
on his boat Clopex, brought to the
city a fifty pound compass and binna
cle which he had procured from na
tives at Hoonah. The compass is in
excellent shape and in good working
order; the large hood or binnacle is
well preserved and there is not even
a crack on the glass. When found the
articles were buried under several
feet of earth, in the town of Hoonah.
Also with the compass and binnacle
were three lights, a stern light, sa
loon light and the light that drops
down in the top of the binnacle over
the compass. It is believed the na
tives looted the ship and buried the
articles to keep them from being dis
covered.
APPROPRIATION
BEENRESTORED
FOR ALASKA ROADS AND TRAILS
*
In Reply to Message Asking His As
sistance. A. B. lies Wires to T. O.
Quinn That Appropriation Killed In
House Has Been Restored.
The appropriation (or Alaska Roads
and Trails, carried by the Military
Appropriation bill, which was cut out
of that measure in the House, has
been re-instated in the Senate accord
ing to a telegram received by T. O.
Quinn last evening from A. B. lies.
Mr. Quinn telegraphed Saturday night
to Mr. lies at Washington asking him
to do everything in his power to get
the appropriation reinstated. The
telegram from Mr. lies in reply reads
as follows:
“Road appropriation restored to
hill. Outcome uncertain. Using best
efforts.”
ORVILLE WRIGHT WILL
ORGANIZE AERIAL ARMY
NEW YORK, Feb. 27.—Orville
Wright announced today that in case
of war‘with Germany he will organ
ize an aerial army to work in con
junction with the United' States for
ces.
The University Club held a meeting
last night at the rooms of W. N. Cud
dy, at which matters pertaining to the
Club were discussed.
GERMANY SOUNDED NEUTRAL
NATIONS BEFORE AC TING
AMSTERDAM, Feb. 27.—Germany
was satisfied in advance that the Eu
ropean neutrals would not take action
of a radical nature against her be
cause of the launching of her subma
rine campaign. Before she announc
ed it she sounded the neutrals and
satisfied herself that they would not
endorse President Wilson’s action.
EIGHT AMERICANS
KtLLEOJiGOIM
DIE IN BOATS FROM EXPOSURE
Ijatest Reports Regarding Torpedoing
of Cunard Liner State That 295
i
Persons Have Been landed—Doc- [
I
tor Tells Story of Sinking.
LONDON, Feb. 27.—United States
Consul Frost at Queenstown, reports
that two Americans. Mrs. Mary Hoy
and her daughter Elizabeth, thirteen
years of age. and six negro American
firemen, died from exposure in the
eight-hour trip in the small boats
after leaving the sinking Cunard lin
er Franconia, and were buried at sea.
Four American passengers were sav
ed. So far 281 of the survivors of
the Laconia have been landed here
and fourteen at Bantry. Five persons
are known to have drowned when the
steamer sunk, and six of the survivors
have been taken to the hospitals for
treatment. >• -
The survivors state that the disci
pline aboard the steamer wad excel
lent. the officers and crew aiding the
passengers in every possible way.
Dr. Hawke, a resident of San Fran
cisco. was playing bridge with the
ship’s surgeon at the time of the tor
pedoing of the vessel. He asserts
there was no warning given, and the
first he knew of danger was when he
heard an awful crash as the first tor
pedo struck the ship and exploded
The torpedo struck pretty well aft
on the starboard side. The concus
sion aroused everybody on board, and
there was a rush for life preservers.
The passengers and crew took to the
boats as speedily as possible, a quick
examination revealing that the injur
ies to the ship were such that she
could not remain long afloat. After
the boats had pushed off from the
steamer the submarine returned and,
fired a second torpedo at the sinking
craft. A terrific explosion followed,
putting out all the lights, which had
been left burning. The ship sank in
about an hour. Dr. Hawke says that
the boat in which he was taken off
left the steamer at nine minutes after
ten o’clock and was picked up about
3 o'clock.
In speaking of the sinking of the
Laconia today the Cchronicle says if
the United States government ignores
the sinking of the steamer it means
that America is respecting the Ger
man blockade, and prohibits Ameri
cans from traveling on English ships
under penalty of death.
EIGHT ALLIED AEROPLANES
BROUGHT DOWN BY GERMANS
BERLIN, Peb. 27.—The war office
Issued a bulletin In which it was
stated that eight aeroplanes of the
Allied forces have been brought down
by German airmen and anti-aircraft
guns during the past twenty-four
hours on the western front.
YARROWDALE PRISONERS
HAVE BEEN RELEASED
WASHINGTON. D. C.. Feb. 27.—
A dispatch received from American!
Ambassador Willard at Madrid states j
that the German government released
the American prisoners on the Yar
rowdale on February 16.
Woman Gets Three Years.
ATLANTA, Feb. 27.—Mrs. Victor
Innes, of Portland, Oregon, who dis
appeared some three years ago after
the murder of her sisters, Beatrice
and Lolse Nelms, and later arrested
in Portland1, was sentenced today to
3' years servitude on a conviction of j
larceny in connection with the dlsap- j
pearance and supposed murder of the
two girls.
A number of ladies gathered at the
residence of Dr. and Mrs. Caswell last
evening and amused themselves with
auction bridge.
BRITISH MAKE
LARGE 6AINS
CAPTt'RK GKRMAN POSITIONS
On the Somme Front British Drive
(rnians Back a Distance of Three
Miles and Capture Several Towns—
Also Advancing at Anere.
LONDON. Feb. 27.—The Britidi
on the Somme front made a terrible
attack upon the German position:;,
driving the enemy back a distance of
more than three miles at some point;,
and occupying the German positions
at Pys, Serre, Miramount, Petit Miri
rnont and Warlencourt, while British
patrols harassed the Germans at oth
er points. Heavy fog and mist cov
ered the retreat of the Germans and
the full extent of their retirement <s
not known. The loss of these posi
tions will undoubtedly force the Ger
mans to evacuate Baupaume, one of
their strongest positions, to prevent
the defenders from being flanked by
the British. The British are also ad
vancing at Ancre, on the northern
front, and are meeting with compar
atively little resistance.
PRESIDENT ASKS
MORE AUTHORITY
WANTS TO ARM MERCHANTMEN
Declared Continued Violation of Neu
tral Rights on Seas anti Sacrifices
! of American Lives Intoleralile—
Says Situation Dangerous.
WASHINGTON. D. ('.. Feb. 27.—
In his address before a joint session
of the House and Senate yesterday
afternoon President Wilson stated
that continued violation of the rights
of neutrals upon the seas, and the
further sacrifice of Atnetican lives
and ships was intolerable, and must
be brought to a stop, and the intoler
able blockade of American commerce,
approximating an overt act, was
steadily forcing the country nearer
war. He made it plain to the mem
bers of Congress that he and the
jcountry at large wanted peace, but
peace could only be obtained at the
expense of American lives, the viola
tion of American rights and the driv
ing of the American flag front the se t.
The sinking of the Laconia, he said,
added emphasis to the demand that
protection be afforded American ship
ping. While decrying war, the Presi
dent was confident the entire coun
try would unite in his support in the
event war was unavoidable.
He devoutly hoped that a resort o
arms would not be necessary. He
asked authority of Congress to sup
ply American merchant ships with de
fensive arms and trained gunae.*s
from the navy, and to employ such
other means as may be necessary, and
a sufficient credit to carry out this
plan.
In reality the President’s address
was a request for authority to use all
means necessary to protect American
lives and ships. He disclaimed all
thoughts of war, stating that thd
thought was loathsome to both him
self and the country at large, and that
no course of his choslng would lead
to armed conflict. If war comes, ho
said, it will come through acts of ag
gression on the part of others.
The President declared it is foolish
to deny that the situation is gravely
dangerous.
PUPIL WHIPPED BRUTALLY
BY SCHOOL TEACHER
TACOMA, Feb. 27.—Martin Doyle,
guardian of Earle Doyle, aged 12, has
filed a suit tor $1,500 damages
against Catherine Croppas, teacher of
Jthe Wilkeson public school. The
| school district Is co-defendant. It is
! alleged that the teacher brutally beat
| the boy until his back, thighs and
i legs were lacerated and that he has
i been unable to leave his bed since.
i Try our satin-finish hard candies
jiu bulk at the Candy Kitchen. tf