GALGORM CASTLE 27th Feb., 1917. s.s. REDCAP 1st March, 1917. s.s. TASSO 17th March, 1917. s.s. JOSHUA NICHOLSON 18th March, 1917. s.s. ALNWICK CASTLE 19th March, 1917. s.s. DALEBY 29th April, 1917. s.ss. TYCHO and PORTHKERRY 20th May, 1917. s.s. CLAN MURRAY 29th May, 1917. Schooner JANE WILLIAMSON 10th Sept., 1917. Schooner WILLIAM 11th Sept., 1917. French Barquentine MIMOSA 24th Sept., 1917. s.s. ELMSGARTH 29th Sept., 1917. CHAPTER II. THE PIRATE AS MURDERER. "_The German is a hero born, and believes that he can hack and hew his way through life._"[C] HEINRICH V. TREITSCHKE. In February, 1915, Germany declared a blockade of Great Britain and Ireland. Her official declaration stated, amongst other things, that from February 18th every hostile merchant ship found in the waters around the British Isles would be destroyed, "even if it is not always possible to avoid dangers which thereby threaten the crews and passengers." Neutral ships were also warned that they would incur danger in the "military area," because, according to Germany, the British Government had issued orders as to the misuse of neutral flags at sea. This accusation was false; no misuse of neutral flags has ever been ordered by the British Government. Traffic northwards round the Shetland Islands was graciously permitted by the Germans in their Note. That Germany could enforce an effective blockade of the British Isles was not to be expected, but the Berlin Press hailed the Imperial Government's declaration with delight. The _Lokal-Anzeiger_, a semi-official journal, exclaimed: "What do we care about the outcry of others and the indignation of our enemies? We Germans have a great lesson to learn from this war, namely, not to be fastidious and not to listen to others." Both these lessons appear to have been thoroughly mastered. In the _Kreuz-Zeitung_, the official organ of the Conservative and Court parties, the following comment appeared: "It appears that we shall now torpedo ships without previous warning. For the first time we appear now to have decided on this relentless form of warfare. We welcome with satisfaction the fact that our submarines will wage the most ruthless and relentless war against all enemy shipping." As the term "blockade" is liable to misinterpretation, we cannot do better than quote the German definition of a blockade, as contained in the German Naval Prize Regulations, Section V., Articles 58, 59, and 60. "The blockade must be confined to the ports and coasts belonging to or occupied by the enemy; the blockading forces must not bar access to neutral ports or coasts.