SELF-DEFENCE AT SEA

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2842, 5 August 1916, Page 10

SELF-DEFENCE AT SEA

STATUS OF ARMED MERCHANT

VESSELS

ADMIRALTY RULES

. The Admiralty in October of Inst year issued a set of rules for tho instruction ot merchant captains whoso ships wero fitted with guns for self-defence; and oil March' 2- Inst, in order to overcome tlie influence of (lie distorted interpretation placed upun these rules by the German Government, and to allay nerttral anxiety, alloweu them to be published ill full. They aro as follow:—

A. The Status of Arired Merchant

Ships. (1) The right of the crew of a merchant vessel forciblj to resist visit and search, and to fight in self-defence, is well recognised in international law, and is expressly admitted bv tho German prize regulations, in an addendum issued in June, 1911, at a time when it was known that numerous merchant vessels were being armed in self-defence. (2) The armament is supplied solely for the purpose of resisting attack by an armed vessel of the enemy. It must not be used for any other purpose whatsoever. (3) An armed merchant vessel, therefore, must not in any circumstance interfere with or obstruct tho free passage of other merchant vessels or fishing craft, whether these are friendly, neutral, or hostile, (!) The status of a British armed merchant vessel cannot be changed upon the high seas. B.—Rules to bo Observed in the Exercise of the Eight of Self-Defence. (1) The master or officer in command is responsible for opening and ceasing fire. (2) Participation in armed resistance must be confined to persons acting under tho orders of the master or officer in command. (3) Before opening fire the British colours must be hoisted. (4) Eire must not bo opened or continued from a vessed which has stopped, hauled down her Bag, or otherwise indicated her intention to surrender. (5) The expression "armament" in these instructions includes not only cannon but also rifles and machine gvuis in. cases where those are supplied. (6) The ammmuntion used in rifles and machine-guns mrist conform to Article 23, Hague Convention IV, 1007; that is to say, the bullets must bo cased in nickel or other hard substance, and must not 'oe split or cut in such away as to eau«e them to expand or set upon on striking'a man. The use of explosive buliets is forbidden. C—Circumstances under which the Armament should be Employed. (1) The armament is supplied for the purpose of defence only, and the object of the master should be to avoid action whenever possible. (2) Experience has shown that hostile submarines and aircraft have frequently attacked merchant vessels without warning. It is important, therefore, that craft of this description should not be allowed to approach to si short range at. which a torpedo or bomb launched without notice would almost certainly take effect. British and Allied submarines and aircraft have orders not to approach merchant vessels. Consequently it may be presumed that any submarine or ailcraft which deliberately, approaches or pursues a merchant vessel does so with hostile intention. ,In such case fire may be opened in self-defence in order tc prevent the hostile craft closing to a range at _ which resistance to a sudden attack with bomb or torpedo would be impossible. . (3) An armed merchant vessel proceeding to render assistance to the crew oi' a vessel in distress must not seek action with any hostile craft, though, if she is herself attacked while so doing, fire may be opened in self-defence. (i) It snould be remembered that the flag is 110 guide to nationality. German submarines and armed merchant vessels have frequently employed British, Allied, or neutral colours in order to anproach undetected. Though, however, the u.~ of disguise and false colours in order to escape capture is a legitimate ruse de guerre, its adoption by defensively armed merchant ships may easilv lead to misennreption. Such vessels, 'therefore, are 'forbidden to adopt any form of disguise which might cause them to be mistaken for neutral ships. Admiralty War Staff, Trade Division, 20th October, 1915.