I IOnl pvIS IN WATH 11 N TheL of that, a 11] GERMAN NEWSPAPER OFFERS CONSOLATION FOR LOSS OF AIRSHIPS Amsterdam, Nov. 30.-The German official view of the disaster which be- fell the Zeppelin fleet in France, is that the loss of several airships was due entirely to weather conditions which are unlikely to occur again. It is as- serted that the disaster is not regarded as any argument against the use of the Zeppelin as a military weapon The official Allgemeine Zeitung, says: "Enemy reports at first stated that as many. as six Zeppelins had been lost, but it is now indisputably es- tablished that only four were brought down. The real and only cause of the disaster is to be found in the abnormal weather conditions. One of those who took part in the journey states that the fog on the coast was so dense that it was impossible to see farther than three to five yards. Not Result of Attack "A loss of four Zeppelins is not a matter of indifference even for the Ger- man air service, but the principal, and at the same time satisfactory, fact re- mains,'however much've may deplore the accident, that the destruction of the airships was not the result of English counter-attacks, but was sole- ly owing to a concentration of unfor- tunate circumstances. WAR VESSELS MAINTAIN CEASE. LESS VIGIL; MAP OUT NORTH SEA (Associated Press) Base of British Grand Fleet, Nov. The "NEW WHIPCC I Co. 30.-The head of the British admiralty, speaking the other day in the house of commons, flung out a challenge to the Germany navy. He said, "I dis- close no segret, or if it is a secret, I disclose a fact which I should be glad to tell the enemy-when I say that the British grand fleet in its northern base lies behind no shore defenses, but re- lies on its own strength alone." There are people in the United States who do not appreciate the ac- tivities of the British navy in its home waters, who thinks that it lies in idle- ness, like the German high seas fleet, behind impenetrable landlocked bases. For the purpose of removing this uin- pression, the Associated Press repre- sentative was asked to visit the grand fleet, live on board the first-line bat- tleships, and observe just what sort of day's work it puts in day after day and week after week. "Ceaseless Activity" Motto Ceaseless activity is the motto of the grand fleet. Neither men nor ships are permitted to gather rust or barnacles. From its base at the north- ern tip of the British isles, it sweeps day and night the 140,000 square miles of the North sea, on ceaseless 'vigil, in unflagging hope that one day its watching will be rewarded by a meet- ing with the enemy under circum- stances wherein he cannot avoid bat- tle. Moreover, this sweeping of the North sea is no mere aimless patrol. In the most casual moves of ships and men there is always a directing mind and a directing plan. The North sea is as well swept in relation to its size as the drawing room of a well-ordered house. The enemy's coastline is still the British navy's frontier. Fine Harbor The harbor which has been the home of the grand fleet for three years is probably the finest of its kind in 0 t n ,, ? ' i a { MAIN STREET i F I It Views "We cannot be surprised if England seizes the opportunity for using our misfortune as soothing syrup for her population, which has lately had over- much experience of what war means, through the agency of our air raids. In the end it will no doubt turn out to our advantage if the English do' lose faith in the reliability of our Zeppe- lins; the more secure the English peo- ple feel themselves to be, the better it will be for our airships the next time they make an attack, for they will be undisturbed." SUGAR SHORTAGE CAUSES PROBLEM FOR ANN ARBOR RESTAURANTS AND CLUBS Cousins 4 Members of the Florists STYLE U Sugar, not meatless and wheatless days, is the problem confronting Ann Arbor boarding houses and clubs. Hooverization in Ann Arbor has been accepted with adwirable spirit, but with sugar many boarding houses are' running on such a 'small margin that they have only a meal to meal sup- ply. Desserts that need a quantity of sugar are now taboo, and many hous- es no longer bake cake, but look to Dec. bakeries for supply because they car iment, only get sugar sufficient for table regi- needs. talion, Lump sugar has long been a minus quantity, and one boarding house is place using confectioner's sugar for general tins. baking as long as the supply on hand a is suspennutr KIEL CANAL SAVED DEN-MARK ompanies will as- FROM INVASION SAYS DANE Hill-auditorium at pected event inter- Copenhagen, Nov. 30.-Former Premier Neergaard, who is now a 11 go on according member of the Danish parliament, in a .recent speech gave it as his opin- ion that the improvement effected in the 'e on Wednesday, Kiel canal saved Denmark from the ditor um Stude danger of German invasion, and that be admitted td the there was very little probability of a violation of Denmark's neutrality. He declined for diplomatic reasons n In North China to make a more explicit statement in Nov. 30.-North parliament, but has'explained outside actiall .deptdthat the improvement in the canal ractically depleted spared Germany the temptation to in- ecause of the flood, fringe on Danish neutrality in order A rains and inader to safeguard communications of the canal to carry the fleet between the Baltic and North rChihli province.sea. Germany had been prepared ear- rywhere along the lier, he said, to occupy Denmark in ecanal and most o anaasought haricase of war with England in order to me ci ty.-open communications through the ile city. . .Great and Little belts. The control of these waterways, however, was no longer ±dispensible to Germany, since ,Ye gy the fleets could pass freely through' at the canal. the world. The whole area comprised in this British northern base is about equal to the hundred-odd square miles which the Germans evacuated in France last spring. The battleship squadrons, for example, within their own particular section of this great base have room for every kind of practice maneuvers, including- tagret practice. On a sunny afternoon the corre- spondent saw eight battleships at tur- ret or target practice, a detachment of cruisers in maneuvers, a seaplane-bal- loon ship at work under conditions simulating those of actual warfare, and, off around the edges, various op- erations by innumerable small craft and auxiliaries. Night Target Practice Night target practice, which also is conducted within the harbor, is al- ways an interesting sight. The bat- tleships steam down the nine-mile course. Suddenly a searchlight picks up a target. Instantly every turret is trained, every gun directed. Then a button is pressed somewhere, and the guns speak as with one voice in a gi- gantic broadside that awakens th.3 echoes from the hills. There is an infinite variety to the turret practice on a big battleship. The officer in charge of the turret speaks: "An enemy shell has come in through the turret, killing men num- bers one, three, four, and six. Right gun disabled. Connection with rest of ship lost. Carry on." The "dead men" file off to one side and watch their comrades work as they would in actual battle. There is the zest of a game to it. - Mock Fatalities The officer speaks again: "Shell fias hit turret, killing all men except num- bers one and three. Number three is seriously wounded. Ammunition hoisting machinery disabled. Fire started in pile of waste behind gun. Carry on!" The single unwounded man left in the turret must now en- deavor to keep the guns in action single-handed, besides dealing with a fire and a seriously wounded man. The "dead men" stand along the edge of the turret and watch their comrade's / Coal is scarce may be cooler comfortable. Go Home Dressed The. the chill off ; no and the heat is t Then too, is really quite ci Main and William Sts. Choplin Comedy, "The Arcade, today.-Adv. Adven- efforts to "carry and amusement. It is play, but pL ficiency behind it, that in actual bat be a single possi on" with Officers' Uniforms and accessories G. H. Wild & Co., State Street.-Adv. it 44 caliber Smith & Wes- y Revolver; 7/ inch bar- sights; holster and belt; ools. Phone 1637. LOST s watch in broW lea4her campu§, near Physiology I I Will there be a your Home this I - 11 bra TERMS 4 GRI