THE FOURTH YEAR 



by The Times special correspondent in Amsterdam. 



Writing on November 21, 191 7, be said it was then 

 certain that five Dutch fishing-boats had been sent 

 to the bottom by the Germans during the last few 

 days. Forty-eight fishermen, the crews of these 

 vessels, returned to Holland from Germany on the 

 previous night. Three of the five fishing-boats 

 were certainly in the area the Germans declared 

 safe for Dutch fishing-boats when they were attacked 

 by a German torpedo-boat and sunk despite all pro- 

 tests. The Dutchmen were furious at the conduct 

 of their captors, who, they declared, had treated 

 them like beasts. At Wilhelmshaven the}' were 

 lodged in filthy quarters, which had been previously 

 used for Russian prisoners. Although half-starved, 

 the\' were unable to eat the rotten potatoes which 

 were given to them as food. They were taken from 

 Wilhelmshaven to Bremen and thence to the 

 frontier, where they were forced to pass a day under 

 wretched conditions. 



A significant feature of this outrageous conduct 

 was that amongst the torpedo-boats which sank the 

 Dutch fishing craft was the V 69, which had been 

 badly damaged in the fight with the British in the 

 previous January and had entered Ymuiden, but 

 after being repaired, she was allowed to depart. 

 When she entered the port her wounded were ten- 

 derly cared for by the Dutch, who also gave military 

 honours at the burial of her dead ; yet her gratitude 

 was shown by sinking Dutch fishing-boats. 



When the captain of the V 69 was asked why the 



