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100 Years Ago | 21 January 1919

On this day a century ago, these were some of the news items The Statesman readers got to read about India and the world.

100 Years Ago | 21 January 1919

MINE DANGER AT SEA

Although the coming of peace will relieve the seas from the danger of Uboats, another lingering danger, says the Times, will remain for mariners. We have in home waters today thousands of mines, and until these have been cleared away all ships will have to be handled with due care. The cleaning up of the seas will probably occupy a considerable period. The present large force of mine-sweepers must be retained for this work, and the number of trawlers and drifters available for fishing will be affected accordingly. Some minefields lie over the best fishing grounds. However, the Admiralty are in close touch with the fishing authorities, and fishermen receive the necessary instructions, while fishing vessels employed as minesweepers will be released at the earliest possible moment. The menace to merchant shipping will be greatly lessened if masters are careful to follow out Admiralty instructions as to routes to be followed. There is also the danger of mines being washed ashore and handled by careless people. An instance of this happened during the war on the west coast of Ireland, when several inquisitive persons were blown to pieces through tampering with a stranded mine.

THE FIRE ON THE TENASSERIM

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Further details concerning the disastrous fire which broke out on the steamer Tenasserim, of the Patrick Henderson line of steamers, is to the effect that smoke was seen coming out of the stokehold at 5-55 am on the morning of Thursday, while the vessel was lying at Hastings prior to departure for Europe. Great efforts were made by the authorities connected with the vessel, who eventually succeeded at great risk in disposing of all the ammunition on board. Further efforts were made towards keeping the vessel buoyant by not allowing her cargo to give a list on either side, and these also succeeded. Towards Sunday morning, as the result of flooding, the flames which had raged fiercely the previous night died down. Since then they have been burning less and less fiercely. From the aft engine room bulwark the aft deck is intact, but forward the ship is gutted.

BERLIN CONGRESS ON SOVIETS

The Berlin Congress of Soviets has passed a resolution in favour of the disarmament of counter-revolutionaries, the abolition of all orders and badges of honour and nobility, and recommending the appointment of officers by soldiers. This and other decisions of the congress show that the Bolshevik element is stronger than the Berlin Government despatches have hitherto indicated, but the whole proceedings of the congress are apparently chaotic, largely consisting of acrimonious wrangling. Nevertheless it is believed that the excellent organisation of Scheidemann Socialists will secure the passage of the proposal for a National Assembly.

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