Norwich Bulletin Newspaper, February 19, 1917, Page 1

For European Ports Which Wil! Necessitate Passage Through German War Zone ONE VESSEL WAS FLYING THE AMERICAN FLAG Two of the Steamers Departing are Passenger Ships, British |ence Liner Laconia for Liverpool and the French Liner Romer | 727 to approm for Marscilles—Whether There Were Any American Aboard Was Not Disclosed—The City of Pueblo Was the Only American Vessel to Sail—It is Expected That Zone Today. —_— New York, Feb. 13.—Twelve steam- h!pa one flying the American flag, sailled from here today presumably for Europ-.n ports which will necessitate thelr passing through the “proaibited zone” amnounced by Germany. Three vessels which came through the re- stricted area, one of wm-:h was of American arrived h Two of the steamers depn.rdn‘ ~—the British liner Laconia, for Live erpool, ang the French lner Roma, for Marseilles — are passenger ~ ships. ‘Whether there were any Americans on board either vessel sailing today was not disclosed. The City of Pueblo was the lone vessel sailing today to brave the.dangers of the submarine zone. Her captain, John E, Willett, is a New er arrivals were the Penistone (Brit- ish) from Bordeaux, and the Liege (‘B':lxi-n) from Rotterdam and Car- Besides the City of Pueblo, the La- conia and the Roma, the sailings today were: Feltria (British), London; Kai- koura (British) Lodon, and Bjornst- Jerne Bjornson (Norwegian), Chile (Danish) Moorish Prince (British), Kachi Maru (Jananese), Llandu- no (British), all presumably for Europ- ean ports. It is expected that several American steamships will sail for the danger zone tomorrow, among them the Mon- golia and the Algonquin. The Mongo- Fa is equipped to carry passengevs and is one of the three velsels bought by the Atlantic Transport Line West Virginia from the Pacific Mail Steamship company about a year and The |a helaf years. The Algonquin is = adelphia. in 1881 and is of 2,624 tons gross, is boand for Havre, France, with a cargo of merchendise. She cleared by a New York company. The steamer Moreni, from Mediter- ranean ports, was the only American vessel arriving here today. The oth- was VIENNA NEWSPAPERS ON AUSTRO-AMERICAN. RELATIONS Take a Gicomy View of Severance cf Relations Between U. S. and Cer- many. Vienna, Feb. 17, via London, Feh. 10.30 p. m.—Despite the fact *hat some of the newspapers are taking 3 sicomy view of Austro-American re. ns and the situation brought about by The severing of relations between the United States and Germany, offi- cials in Vienna are inclined to belleve that the eituation is not entirely hope- less. This also is the view of Frederic C. Penfield, the American ambassador, who is doing everything possib'e to assist In reaching a friendly solution of the situation. 3 At this moment there are two Indi- cations, though possibly they are of little weight, which permit of the cor- clusion that Washington is not con- templating an immediate break with Austria-Hungary. One is the trams- fer to the embassy here of Joseph C. Grew, former secretary of the em- bassy in Berlin, who arrived here tc- night from Switserland to assume the dutles of counclior of the embasey dication arises from State Lan- the sum of $250.000, the amount having been donated by American Hebrew Xo- cleties. At the embassy here the opir- ion was expressed that the United States government might not aave transferred this sum had a breax be- tween Washington and Vienna Leen even tentatively decided on. COLD SPELL IN FRANCE HAS BEEN BROKEN Hope Is Expressed For Relief of Scar- cety of Fuel in Paris. Parls, Feb. 18, via London.—The in- tense cold spell of three weeks' dura- tion has been hxoken. Milder weath- er, accompanied by a heavy rain, is melting the jce and it is hoped that the Seigne river barges and other means of transpertation will be able to from 1 tons of coal, distributed 18,000 o gas 6,000 tons to the laun- &5 Snaustey, 21000 1o mmall dealers for retail ;sale, while 47,000 tons were distributed gratuitously and 16,000 tons sold at reduced prices. The stock on hand is estimated at about 60,000 tons and it is believed that 20,000 tons ad- ditional will be required for all pur- poses up to the end of March. STUDENTS OF PENN. COLLEGE FOR MARINE SERVICE Have Been Requested by War Depart- ment to Apply for Commissions. State College, Pa., Feb. 18.—Students of Pennsylvania State College, wha have had military training have been to apply for commissions in the United States marine corps. Captain A. E. Anrends, U. S. A, detained to the State College as professor of military sclence, today announced that he had been instructed by the war department to bring the matter to the attention ot the graduating Abou 700 members of the senior class ve been taking military training. Freessful applicants for commissions, it Is understood, will be made second t-nants and assigned to posts fo: b L Lo G gl L D mus’ be over 20 and under 25 years of age. = E l | freighter. American _ships which have sailed from here since the new German sub- marine policy became effective were, besides the City of Pueblo, the Dochra, February 2, for Genoa; Orleans._and Rochester, Febyuary 10, for Bordeaux, and Owega, February. 11, for Genoa. WHAT ONE SUBMARINE ACCOMPLISHED IN 2¢ HOURS Sunk Three Auxiliary Cruisers and Two Transports—Gross Tonnage 51,- Berlin, Feb. 16, via Wireless to Say- ville, N, Y.—It is officially announce:l that one German submarine within = hours sank one apxiliary cruiser of 2 000 tons gross, two auxiliary cruisers, or transport steamers, of 13,600 tons each and one transport of 4,600 toms. Thus, one submarine within 24 hours destroyed 51,800 tons. Six steamers and one sailing vessel of altogether 25,000 tons, wWere suni February 13. One steamer carried one thousand tons of hay, 1,500 tons of wheat and 2,000 tons of oats and one steamer earried kerosene for England. A submarine has brought in three eap- tains, two engineers and one wireless operator as prisoners.. Two of the tank steamers were armed. SPANISH NEUTRALITY DISCUSSED IN THE CORTES. Several Deputies Question Premier About Attitude of Government. Madrid, via Paris, Feb. 18 4.20 p. m. —Spanish neutrality was the subjoct of animated. discussion in the cortes last night, when several deputies, including Senors Rodes and Garcia, questionel the premier, Count de Romanoncs, on the attitude of the government in the war. Deputy es demanded an ex- plicit statement on the question motives actuating the government's policy and upon what it proposed to The premier, in reply, said that the government was, above all, neutral a%& between the two opposing elements, and had ehown its attitude distinctly in the action taken with several moves by the United Siates—one, the invita- tion to intervene for the re-establish- ment of peace, and, another, an invi- tation to declare war against Ger- many. MANY VALUABLE ANTIQUES AND PAINTINGS BURNED When Fire Destroyed the Crompton Residence at Stony Hill. Windsor, Conn., Feb. 18.—The Crompton residence on Stony Hill was burned tonight with its contents, including many valuable antiquesand intings. “The tota] loss is estimated at nbout $15,000. The fire ie believed to have started from an overheated chimney. The place was owned by the estate of Mls! Elizabeth Crompton, Miss Kate Crompton and their brother Wi Tlam. Miss -il-beth Crompton died some time and the survivng brother and lllter had occupied the house. A few hours later fire destroyed barns ‘nd.‘lfle';v llo';lu on thxc occupi erome z Sloane, and caused some to the Sloane dwelling. The I l;l“lml:;'Q fire was estimated at about $5,000. NO DIVERGENCE OF VIEWS AT ENTENTE ALLIED CONFERENCE|H. Statement by Viscount Milner, Mem- ber of British Vlar Council. P Yll. London, Feb. 18, 6.35 | Hooker 5 I s Jomen, Ion M0 A o\lt portfolio and member of the Brit- 24 mi m £ : OF 64TH CONGRESS President May Outline Plan for Inter- n-fl"-lcrh of I.fy‘m_a_nfl. Law CAPTAIN AND CREW OF SCHOON- ER ARE IN ROME SMILINGLY QUIT SHIP Had the Ship Been Armed With a Five Pounder, Captain McDonough Says He Could Have Destroyed the Sub- ing with well, the United States consul at T\l- rin, and were interrogated at the American embassy. ask | Had Large Supply of Canned Goods. to open the sea to shipping. soon .I:Ill the espionage and anti- tee to carry $533,000,000, an increase of $165,000,000 over the house bill and the army appropriation bill. In addi- tian the shipping bill, urged by the shipping board, extending the powers of the government to control commer- cial shipping, is deemed highly im- portant. STRANGE TALES COME OUT OF MEXICO One is That Villa Has Gone to Japan on a Political Mission, El Paso, Texas, Feb. 18.—Eduardo Toriano Bravo, Mexican consul here, declared Carranza officials here and in Juarez ha dheard several days ago that Villa had embarked, in disguise, for Japan on a political mission. ‘Villa has not been accounted for since he went to Parral about six weeks ago,” said the consul. “Howev. we are inclined to doubt the story that he has gone to Japan. That may have been invented to account for his ab- sence. It is believed more likely that he is in hiding in the mountains eith- er to try to reorangize his bands there, or because he is sick or wonnded_; 5. er( Salazar as. or. smugsgle ammunition over the border. CASUALTIES IN GERMAN ARMY DURING JANUARY 77,534 Officers and Men Killed, Wound- ed, Prisoners or Missing. London, Feb. 18, 4:20 p. m.—Casual- ties in the German army, exclugive of colonial troops, reported in the German casuaity lists in the month of Janu- ary, 1917, totalled 77,534 officers and men killed, wounded, prisoners or issing. The totals compiled from the list follows: Killed and died 15, 906; prisoners 1,645, missing 11,874; wounded, 48.109—total 77,634. These casualties bring the total of Germans killed and those who died of wounds or sickness to 988,329, and a total casulty since the war began to 4,087,692, AMBASSADOR FLETCHER IS IN MEXICO CITY Was Accorded Every Courtesy During His Journey Through Mexico. Mexico City, Feb. 18.—The American ambassador, Henry P. Fletcher, ar- rived here late last night. He was met by officials from the Mexican foreign office, members of General Carranza’s staff and a big delegation of govern- ent officials headed by a military es- Ambassador Fletcher expressed of the courtesies journey throush eort. his appreciation shown him on his Mexico. TO DECIDE ON AN ANSWER TO THE MEXICAN NOTE Government of Ecuador Has Propesed Meeting of Latin-American Coun- tries. Mexico_City, Feb. 18.—The govern- ment of Ecuador, according to reports received here, has proposed to the Lat- in-American countries t a meeting be held at Montevideo to decide on an answer to the Mexican not proposing the cessation of shipments of supplies to the Eureapen belligerents. PHYSICIANS AND NURSES GOING TO ASIA MINOR To Combat the Epidemics Which Are Causing So Many Deaths There. New York, Feb. 18.—A medical unit of ten ph)"dl.n. and ten nurses will be sent to Asia Minor to combat the epidemics which are causing tonight. The expedition will be fin- anced by Hadassah, an organization of Jewish women. OBITUARY Benjamin W. V. Kelsey. ‘Haddam, Conn., Feb. 18.—Benjamin W. V. Kelsey, town clerk of Haddam this | for 27 years until his retirement six years ago, died today, aged 83 years. Dayton. dustry try, dlodmt coun his home here today anl.torhn‘lf a mtur.v w(f.h th this city. Brigadisr General J. R. O"Beirne. Captain McDonough reported his story of the sinking of the schooner, c.pr.un McDonoush _described the submarine crew as being composed o “about forty men—all big, blond, haw ky fellows.” Approach of Submarine. Describing the approach of the sub- marine, the master of the American schooner said: “If my ship had been armed with a five-pounder I could have destroyed the submarine as easily as buttering a piece of bread. Neither myself nor my men lowered our dignity by show- ing any resentment. I didn’t ask them to spare the ship and left her - ly, while the German also Of Distinct German Type. Among the crew of the Lyman W. Law is Engineer Lee Thompson of Belfast, Maine, who worked for a time constructing submarines at Fore River :hipbufldln: plant at Quincy, Mass. He took a good look at the captor ship and said she was apout 120 feet long and of.a distinct German type. The submarine bore no name, numbers or Jetters. Captain McDonough and his crew soon will be sent to the United States. Thomas Nelson Page the, American ambassador, listened to their story with great interest and has sent a re- port on the sinking of the American vessel to the state department at Washington. . ° FEWER LIVES LOST Aflflm“gl\ Earth Than Ever Before. Washington, Feb. 18.—Fewer mer lost their lives In American coal mines during 1916 than in any year of t ten, although the year was th most prosperous in the history of mining, with more men employed an? a greater tonnage taken -from the earth than ever before. The army of mine workers num- bered over three-quarters of a mllion. Three and three-tenths of each thou- sand were killed by accident, the low- est death rate in 18 years, and the low est on record per ton of coal mined. The number killed was. 2,225, which is 44 less than in 1915, 229 less than in 1814, and 560 less than in 1913. Ther: were 65,000,000 more tons of coa mined than in 19185, “The mere reduction of 44 lives lost for the year 1916 does not disclose by any means the gratifying results ob- tained,” says a statement today by Van H. Manning, director of the bu- reau of mines. “If the same conditions had prevailed in 1916 as in 1915 in re gard to the tonnage for each life los! there would have been at least 27% more men_killed. “The safety first movement fostered by the bureau of mines from an iso- lated, sporadic effort until it has be- come a great national asset, is respon- sible for the stopping and turning baclk of a record of deaths that had becoma a great American crime.” GOVERNMENT FORCES TO ATTACK SANTIAGO DE CUBA Which City is Still in the Hands of the Rebellious Cubans. Havana, TFeb. 13.—Sunday passed quietly so far as revolutionary activi- ties were concerned, only a few minor brushes between rebels and govern- ment forces being reported from. iso- lated places. With Clego de Avila in its hands and communication with that point re-established, the government is prob- ably concentrating its forces for an attack on Santiago de Cuba, which city is still in the hands of the rebels. Generale Rios and Ramos at Manzan- illo with 2,000 men and General Cebre- co at Baracoa with a strong force are preparing to march against the capital ot Oriente province. e pagtial elections which were lubednled to be held in Oriente on Feb. 20, and which, it was expected, would settle the long drawn-out dis- pute as to whether President Menocal PRICE TWO CENTS n is l.argut in Gonnecticut in Proportion to the City’s Population Germans Fail to Regain Positions 2 BRITISH SHIPS SUNK Trench Raiding and Artillery Activi- ties Continue in Several Sectors of the Front in France and Belgium— Quiet on Other Fronts. ‘The Germans in the Miraumont sec- tor of the Ancre front in France have striven hard to regain the positions taken from them by the British on Saturday, but their attempts werc according to the British war ttacking waves, the Germans came under the concentrated fire of the British guns and were swept back to their’ trenches, suffering heavy cas- ualties. Failed to Reach British Lines. At no place did the attacking forces reach the British line, and the B itish suffered no casualties. The British captured 780 officers and men. The Berlin war office in its descrip- tion of the Ancre fighting of Saturday says the positions several times changed hands, but that before aban- doning their advanced crater positions the Germans took 130 men prisoner and captured five machine guns. Trench Raiding Trench raiding and artillery activi- tles continued on several sectors of the front in France and Belgium. In Champagne, near Ripont, according to rlin, the French have shelled the rmans in the positions captured from the French last week, but have been unable to launch Infantry at- tacks owing to the terrific artillery re- piy of the Germans. Except for isolated attacks, the most violent of which was delivered by the Ruseians against Teutonic allied posi- tions in the Oituz valley in Rumania, and which Berlin says was repulsed. Hittle fighting is in progress in ths eastern theatre. Petrograd admits the entry of Gefmans _into Russian trenches - south of Dvinsk, but says that later they were driven out. In the Carpathians a strong Austro-Ger- man work south of Okna has been captured by the Russians. In the Austro-Ttalian and Macedo- nian theatres artillery activity pre- dominates. Nothing new has come through concerning the situation on the Irak front, where the last reports credited the British with having taken additional s from the Turks in the region of Kut-ei~Amara. Two More British Ships Sunk. Two more British steamers havs been sent to the bottom by German submarines Their aggregate tonnage was 4,333. Another British steamer. the Worcestershire, 7,175 tons, is re ported to have been sunk. A German official communication an- nounces the sinking during one day by a single submarine of 51,800 tons of entente vessels—an auxiliary cruiser of 20,000 tons, two auxiliary cruisers or transport steamers of 13,600 tons each, and one transport of 4,600 tons. PUTTING CIVIL SERVIVE LAW INTO EFFECT IN GERMANY. German War Bureau is Meeting With Unexpected Success. Berne, Switzerland, Feb. 18.—(Staff Correspondence of The Associated Press.) —All indications are that Ger- many eventually will adjust herseif to the conditions brought about by the civil service lJaw passed last fall. The German war bureau, which is putting into effect the provisions of the law, reports that it has had unexpected success and points to the huge num- ber of applications for employment re- ceived from all classes of the popula- tion, which seemingiy are anxious to serve the fatherland in & clvil capaci- ty. The plan, however, constitutes a problem not to be ignored in the fu- ture. On the basis of returns up to the present, the number of youths who have applied for work of any kind has been so large that the authorities have not been able to avoid the conclusion that schoolboys deliberately are at. tempting to evade their studies by of. fering their services to the govern- ment. Opposition to the civil service plan has developed from men who are over military age and who for years have been comfortably settled in their own homes and active in their particuiar trade, and who oppose to the utmost any proposition to dislodge them and to transport them to districts where }‘hey would be more available than at ome. CARGO OF DUTCH STEAMER HAS BEEN CONFISCATED Securities to Aggregate of 5,000,000 Francs Were Consigned to New York captured by a German submarine while outward bound from Rotterdam Ilast ptem A BRITISH DIRECTOR OF GENERAL FOOD PRODUCTION Sir Arthur Les to Have Charge England and Wales. London, Feb. 15, 5.20 p. m—Sir Ar- of parliamen: those | the Condensed Telegrams dlo;."' James Platt, author and poet, The Ferguson “Bone D bill ; passed by the Oklahoma -enury .. 6 The Exports of Copper for the k ended February 16 were 5,136 tons, of the Port of New York for January amounted to $301,939,5 The Northwestern R.Hrcad has lift- ed its embargo on ail grain to Chica- go. Thieves Robbed the National Bank at Lincoln, Neb., and escaped with $2,- The Swiss Minister, Dr. Ritter, ferred with Counsellor Polk of state department. The Rockefeller Institute will inves- tigate the infantile paralysis outbreak in Fairmont, W. Va. con- the A Bill to Permit Women to vote in the primary elections was passed by the Arkansas house. The Turkish Senate 1 passed a bill au- thorizing a loan of 42,000 Turkish pounds from Germany. Exports of General Merchandise at the port of New York on February 16 were valued at $4,861,983. A Mexican Women was arrested at Brownsville, Tex., for the smuggling of ammunition into Mexico. Edward M. Mager of New York re signed as president of the Wright- Martin Aircraft corporation. Edward Dyer Peters, 67, professor of metallurgy at Harvard university and T., is dead in Boston. Gold Coin to the Amount of $100,000 was withdrawn from the sub-treasury for shipment to South America. An Unidentifield Two Masted steam- er went aground zt Ship Shoal, eight miles south of Cobb’s Island, Va. W. A. Whitman of New York was sentenced to serve 30 days in the workhouse for having narcotics in his n. 7 Frank E. Travis, who holds the con- tract for collecting parcel post mail in Providence was arrested, charged with larceny from the mails. John J. Burl the public serv Jersey, dled here yesterday. leigh was 63 years old. Mayor Brann of Lewiston, Me., has ted the request of the Maine Cen- tral road to have guards placed on the Lewiston-Auburn bridge. Charles Murphy, a negro, was hang- .d at !hnv!lll; .,- for the murder of Romas at Bates- w'n, Ill durin‘ a fight. The House Adopted a Conference report on the Hughes vocational edu- cational bill, completing its work in connection with the measure. Samuel Hershenstein, an assistant United States district attormey, tend- ered his resignation to United States Attorney H. Snowden Marshall. Col. Melvin E. Grisby, of Sioux Falls, pioneer of South Dakota, and member of the Rough Rider Regiment in the Spanish-American war, is dead. Minister of Finance Ribot asked the French Chamber of Deputies to appro- priate 9,7564,000,000 francs for the sec- ond quarter of the present year. Two men were killed and six others seriously injured in a result of the explosion of a delayed blast in Twin Peakes Tunnel at San Francisco. Representative Randall of Californ is drafting a bill giving the Presi dent or Secretary of War power 1o regulate all saloons in time of war. Francisco ja, the bandit has called a convention of his c to be held this week at San Andres, to form a civil government and select officials. Plans for a national prohibition congress in Topeka June 18, 19 and 20 have been made by the headquart- ers’ committee of the Kansas Anti- Saloon League. Joseph C. MacDonlad of Bangor, Me., resigned as assistant to the pastor of the First Congregational church, Dai bury, has resigned to join the ambu- lance corps in France. An Order Closing all places of emusement and public resorts at St. Albans, Vt, was issued by the state board of health because of an epi- demic os streptocococcl. committee on interstate commerce, re- ported to the Senate the rallroad bill, without addition, with the recommen- dation that its passage be expedited. Four firemen were injured through tive collapse of a floor while fighting a fire which completely destroyed the Scott-Bathgate wholesale block at ‘Winnipeg, Man., at a loss of $200,000. The Cape Cod Canal company ob- tained permission from federal au- thorities at Boston to have a number of its employes sworn in as deputy U. S. marshals to guard the canal Senator Newlands, chairman of lhe’ Col. Taggart, commanding Fort Rin- to the War Depart- ment that eight bandits crossed the Mexican border into the United States at Foledad Ranch. One man and sev- en horses were captured. A uest of $28,000 for an investiga- 1 tion ’o‘quhe case of Charles F. Stielo serving a life sentence for the mur of Charles D. Phelps and his hou President. Wilson Is authorized to commandeer the railroads in time of national , and to draft train crews and for the -operation in a bill reported to the Serate by the Interstate Commerce Committee. Persing reported ts that 21 Mexicans, capturea by his force while in Mexico, and held in connection ith the raid on Columbus, N. M., last year, will be turned over to the Depertment of Jus- tice. M General Noted Painftr Dead. nbts Ca otk moren e AtES DA e N - er, died -today. Pt e | ments and organized labor. |Explosionin Shack at Waterbury FAMILY OCCUPYING T BURIED IN DEBRIS. wWAsS ONE BOY WAS KILLED Windows Broken in Adjoining Build- ings—Nature of the Wreck Indicat- ed It Was the Work of a Powerful Explosive. Waterbury, Conn., Teb. plosion, 18.—An d at 130 this afternoon in gle-stor ement and felt-roofed shack on North Main street occupied by Altidio Treticione and his wife and three young children. Shack Blown to Ple: The shack was blown to fragments flying geross the st Six windows in the Turn Verein waerts gymnasium, first house north, were broken and in a dwelling to t south. Treticione and his family were buried in debris and it took an hour to extricate them. His v est son, Joseph, aged 7, was k Treticione and his wife and the other two children, Angeline, 3, anda Mar chata, 2 years, were rushed to St. Mary's hospital. The baby escaped almost uninjured but Treticlone and his wife and the other girl are seri- ously injured. They will recove Had Smelled Gas. Treticione had told a brother-in- law that he smeiled gaw coming from the cellar, a three-foot excavation and crawled down to see If he could find it with a match and then the ex- plosion followed. Gas had not been used by the family and inspectors of the Waterbury Gas Light company say the gas had been shut off from the main and there was no leak. No fire followed the explosion. Bdward de Bisschop, foreman of distribution of the gas company says that the n ture of the wreck indicated the w of a powerful explosive. FRIENDLY DEMONSTRATIONS IN PARIS FOR GERARD Guest of Honor at Luncheon Given at the Foreign Office. Paris, Feb, 18, 4.00 p. m—Jams W. Grard, 'the former American ambas sador to Germany, was the guest o bonor at a luncheon given at the for- eign office by Premier Briand tod A distinguished company was pres- ent, including thé diplomatic repre- sentatives 6f all the entente powers having embassadors here. Gerard was accompanied by the American ambassador to France, Willim Graves Sharp, and both were reciplents of many marks of cordial ity. While expressing _appreciation for the courtesy extended to him, Mr. Gerard carefully avoided anything in the nature of a speech or any expres slon of political views, Those in at- tendance included e Russian am- bassador, A. P. Iswolsky, the British ambassador, Lord Berti: the Itallan ambasador, Marquis Raggi: the Ja- panese ambassador, M. Matsui; Jules Cambon, the former French ambassa- dor to Germany and now general seo- retary to the ministry of foreign af fairs; Gabriel Hanotaux and R. W. Bl secretary of the American em- bassy. Ambassador and Mrs. Gerard and Ambessador and Mrs. Sharp later at- tended a performance at the Tro doro for the benmefit of the Canadiasn hospital at St. Cloud. “Bravo” greeted their arrival soon as their presence became erally known the immense audience renewed the cheering, all eyes being turned from the stage to the ambas- sadorial box. Both ambassafdors bowed thelr acknowledgments and the orchestra ceased playing in order to give way to the band of the regub can guards, ich immedia y marched on the stage and plaved the Star Spangled Banner, at the close of which there was another outburst of_enthusiasm. President Poincare was represented at the conference by Colonel Renaud and the minister of war by Captain Echtern. Mr. Gerard on leaving the Trooa- doro became the object of most friendly demonstrations on the part of the crowds that lined the streets. BAY OF BISCAY THICKLY STREWN WITH MINES, American Sea Captain Says They Are of the Floating Type. Baltimore, Md., Feb, 18.—After being held up twice by aliled patrol boats under suspicion of being a German mine layer, the American steamer Carolinan, Captain Smith, arrived here today. Captain Smith said the Bay of Biscay has been thickly strewn with mines by the Germans and that his ship nearly ran down a mine and was compelied to signal for a patrol boat He said the mines are of the floating type. PROTECTION OF WORKING CLASSES AGAINST DISEASE Discussed by Representatives of Gov ernment and Labor Leade New York, Feb. 18.—Protection of the working' classes against diseass and accidents by providing better san- itary conditions was discussed at a meeting here tonight of representa. tives of the federal and city govern- Later the t 30 unions met ~and formed the “labor satitation. confer- ence” to oo-operate with the health department in furthering the work. CREATION OF RUSSIAN MERCANTILE FLEET Object of a Bill Introduced in the Duma Asking for 10,000,000 Roubles. . Teb. 18, 19.35 p. m.—A des- uter’s Telegram company ad says the Russian min- ister of <immerce Has introduced in the duma a bill under the terms of which th- gsovernment will devote 10,000,000 bles toward the creation f a Russian mercantile fleet. heads of ab ebaca, New Mexico, Dead. Santa Fe, N. M., Feb. 18.—Govern-