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GENERAL NEWS NOTES OF THE DAY. Ten Americans, two women, lost their lives in the sinking of the liaei Laconia. it was established in a dispatch from England Tuesday. Mm no warning was given the paaseaBetl on the liner, the death of tin- Americans may constitute an overt act. The women died from expi sure in a small boat, the bodies being buried as the boat was making toward shore. The other eight drowned were negro seamen. Wesley Frost, Inited States consul at Queonstown. has made the following report on the sinking of the Laconia: "The Laconia was torpedoed without warning at 10:30 p. m. in a heavy sea, while the ship was making seventet n knots. The first torpedo struck on the starboard abaft the engine room. The engines 1 tapped and the ship turned, listing to starboard. Most of the boats were l-.uiiched from the starboard side. Twenty minutes later, after most of the boats were dear, a second torpedo was fired, striking the engines on the part side. The ship sank forty-five minutes after the filing of the first torpedo." Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg told the German Reichstag yesterday that Presides! Wilsons acttaa in breaking off relations with Germany was •unprecedented." He characterized the method by which America terminated friendly intercourse as •brusque," and drew a parallel between President Wilsons course in the Mexican imbroglio of 1913 and the German situation after the start of the war. The chancellor called attention to President Wilsons notification to Congress in 1913 that he would "follow international usage," and put an embargo on shipments of arms to both factions iu Mexico. But a year later, the chancellor said, "these usages apparently were no more considered good. Hollweg dilated on the "countless" war matrial shipped from America to Germanys enemies. It became known yesterday that on the day he left Berlin, ex -Ambassador Gerard was warned personally by a German friend in a high official position against sailing from Spain for the Cuited States. The fact that the warning was given has Bet yet become known, except to those men who are in Mr. Gerards confidence, but among them there is a f cling of anxiety, too. in regards to the Americans sailing today on the Infanta Isabel. It is known that Mr. Gerard n gards the warning as having been given in all seriousness. The seventy-two Ynrrowdale prisoners taken into Germany on a prize ship, have been released again by German authorities, according to messages from Berlin. The bidding of these American prisoners formed tae basis for a stern note from President Wilson to Germany. The boycott on supplies and food necessities, being instituted over the Inited State, to lcsse|jie food shortage situation, has had its effect, Sj-f is claimed by experts. The prices on potato-, eggs and poultry have dropped and a lower rate is predicted. Senator Borah, in addressing Congress, has asked for a S6. 000.000-fund to help alleviat •■ tic sufferings of the POOS, due to food shortage. The money is to be used by President Wilson through the authorities in different cities. Merchant shipping abrogating 1 99V500 tons, belonging to the entente and neutral nations, has been dt stroyod or condemned as pi i~os during tile war by the Central powers, according to a report from Berlin. A popular subscription of ,000,000,000 has been donat d to the English government by 5.000.000 subscribers. This is considered a great victory for the government over the professional financiers. The aSieasn of the British along the Ancre river, following closely upon the heels of the retiring German army, lias penetrated to a depth of two miles along an eleven mile front. Guns enough to arm all the American merchant liners have been stored at the navy yards convenient to shipping points, but crews with which to man them have been found lacking. The stock market was unaffected by President Wilsons address to Congress. Wall street had expected just such an address, the nature of Which came as anything but a surprise. The Standard Oil Company will seek indemnity for the destruction of its oil properties iu Rou-niania at the time of the German invasion of that country. Kut-el-Aniara. the strategic military position ia Mesopotamia, which was captured from the Knglish months age. has been recaptured ly the British.
