SINKING OF HOSPITAL SHIPS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3155, 6 August 1917, Page 5

SINKING OF HOSPITAL SHIPS

PROTECTIVE MEASURES ADOPTED. The savagery of the Germans in ruthlessly sinking hospital ships at sight recently led to the British authorities abandoning the practice of marking and lighting such vessels in a distinctive manner. Instead of affording protection, the Rod Cross of the Geneva Convention, brilliantly illuminated at night, only servo to mako the vessels ploughing their way through the seas on their errands of lnorcy mov9 conspicuous targets for enemy (submarines. A dispatch dealing with the German practice of sinking hospital ships has been forwarded; to the Federal Defence Department (and presumably the New Zealand Government), by the British authorities. It is a plain, straightforward story of malevolent cruelty. ■ 7n recapitulating ' the series of crimes committed by tho enemy, the dispatch points out that Germany had tho right in cases of suspicion to visit and search any hospital ships encountered on tho high seas. She did ,Jiot, however, avail herself of the opV>rtunity, but sank at sight numerous .vessels carrying sick and wounded soldiers. It was in consequence, decided, tho dispatch states, that, sick and wounded, together with m'ctflcal personnel and supplies, must in futuro be transported " for their own safety in ships carrjigg no distinctive markings, and proceeding ■without lights in the «amo manner as ordinary mercantile traffic. Notice was accordingly given to tho German Government that the British Government had withdrawn certain vessels from the list of hospital 6hips published by it in accordance with international law, aad they.would no longor appear thereon.