A German submarine sighted the Peruvian barque _Lorton_ on the 5th February, 1917, and at once opened fire at 3,000 yards. The Peruvian colours were hoisted, the ship was hove to, and the master proceeded in his boat to the submarine. He was questioned by a young officer who spoke very good English, and who seemed to know all about the _Lorton_. This officer told the master to return to his ship and bring back a German who was on board. Five of the submarine's crew went back with him, and they found the German mate of the _Lorton_ with his things all packed ready to be taken off. The Germans took the master's watch, refused to return his papers, and sank his ship. The master is of opinion that his German mate had given certain information about the movements of the ship. The man sent a letter off from Colon. On the 7th February the Swedish steamship _Varing_, bound from Savannah to Helsingborg, met with a German submarine. Although the steamer was hove to and hoisted the Swedish flag, the submarine continued firing for 20 minutes, her master counting 20 shells in that period. Her crew were allowed no time to save their personal belongings or to furnish the life-boats with provisions. The master made a strong protest against the methods of the submarine commander when he reached Helsingborg. In fine weather and a calm sea the Greek steamship _Aghios Spyridon_ was sunk without warning by a submerged U-boat at 1.5 a.m. on the 12th February, 1917. The vessel sank in a few seconds after being torpedoed, and the crew had but little chance of escape. Out of 21 men, 16 were lost, one Chilian and one Spaniard being amongst the killed. The survivors, who clung to floating wreckage, were eventually picked up by a patrol-boat and landed at Penzance. The Norwegian vessel _Falls of Afton_ was at sea on the 20th February, 1917, with the Norwegian colours painted on her side. At nine o'clock in the morning, in hazy weather, a German submarine rose to the surface right ahead of the ship, waited till the vessel approached, then steered to starboard and lay about 4 cables distant. No other vessel was in sight. The Norwegian colours were hoisted, but the submarine fired three shots, one of which went through a sail. The ship was hove to and was abandoned by her crew, the Germans sinking her with bombs. No lives were lost, but a member of the crew, who had signed on as a Russian Finn, declared himself a German and was taken away in the submarine. The Norwegian sailing vessel _Mabella_ was sunk by a U-boat on the 1st March, 1917, although the Norwegian colours and ship's name were hoisted directly the submarine was sighted. The vessel was sunk by gun-fire and two bombs. The Germans took the master's chronometer, sextant, new oilskin coat, and three bags of stores. On the same date the Norwegian steamer _Gurre_ was torpedoed without warning, and sank in 30 seconds. Only three men were saved, and among the drowned were two British ladies from Christiania.