We have no doubt ourselves that of these explanations the
third undesignedly points to the truth. The Germans mean to try to sink everything that floats, whether belligerent or 'neutral, in the neighbourhood of the British Isles. They want to try to effect 'a complete blockade of our shores, and 'hope largely to accomplish their purpose by creating an atmosphere of terror among neutrals. The fact that the Tabantia ' was less than the prescribed thirty miles from the Dutch coast of course made no difference whatever. As though to prove that this is really the mad scheme of Germany, other neutral vessels have since been torpedoed. The Dutch liner ' Palembang' was sunk off the Galloper Buoy last Saturda'. Several members of the crew were injured and a boy is missing. Last Sunday the Danish vessel Skodabox:g ' was torpedoed without warning. Three men 'were drowned, one of whom was a Swede. Other Danish and Norwegian vessels have also been sunk. We sincerely sympathize with the neutral nations which are suffering from this insane outburst of crime. It is one of the surest signs of German desperation which have yet appeared.
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