New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-10
ARMED TRADERS AND PRIVATEERS
The Case of the Kronprnz Considered the Light of Germany
Pea-Need for Armament Shown To Be as Great Now
as in Former Naval Wars.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The distinction between merchant
vessels armed for offence and those armed
for defence has been practically illustrated
in the respective cases of the Moewe and the
Appam. X will be recalled that the Moewe.
with two heavy batteries Of S-inch guns, over
took the Appam, which was armed with but
two 3-inch guns, and that the difference in
armament was sufficient TO induce the APP
pam TO surrender without resistance. The
Moewe in turn gave practical illustration OF
the manner in which a merchant ship may
be captured in accordance with international
Law By achieving the capture OF the Appam
without murder.
The Moewe's conduct in the premises es-
tsblished another point namely, that vessels
which are capable OF conducting cruiser war
fare in accordance with international law
arc likely to live up 70 those rules laid down
for them. The Moewe, you will recall, was
large enough TO hold prize crew to be
placed on board the Appsm, and large enough
even to have taken over the passengers and
crew of the Appam had the oxigencies Of
warfare nld0c IL necessary AOi uNA ~ sum
her prize. When the actual experience OF
modern warfare, as conducted by one yes
eel OF the German navy, so manlfestly es-
tablishcs the lswlessness OF the Germans use
of the submarine, it is waste of time to
argue the matter alphabetically
There is another aspect, however, of the
ease OF the Moewe type of armed vessels
which shows that the law allowing the arma-
mcnt Of merchant vessels for defence is not
obsolete, but has applications entirely war
ranted by the developments of present-day
war. Nor arc these developments of very
recent date. ! have in mind case belong
ing TO the earliest phase Of the war, the case
Of the German prvateer Kronprinz Wilhelm.
use the word "privateer" advisedly
The Kronprinz Wilhelm arrived in the Port
of New .ork prior to the outbreak OF hostili-
tics. The Treasury authorities allowed her
to sail from New York two days after Ger
many had declared war upon Russia and
some six hours sftcr the delivery Of Ger
many's declaration of war against France had
been published in New York and Washington.
She did not sail with the same peace" crew
with which she came in, but with special
war crew recruited on American territory
from among members Of the German Naval
Reserve in this port. She sailed, giving her
destination as Bremen, but with three times
as much coal on board as she could possibly
need for the voyage mentioned in her clear
ance papers. Representatives of the press
wrote accounts which were published in the
early afternoon, at the same time that Ger
many's declaration OF war against France
was published, telling how they had been OK
cluded from the dock TO which the ship was
tied just as long cases, which they took 20
contain guns, were being placed on board.
/ In the carly evening | sought TO reach the
Collector of the Port Of New York, was I'M
able to do so, but spoke to the special Deputy
Collector. told him that, acting purely as
citizen, | requested that the Kronprinz be
detained pending an investigation of the err
rand upon which she was about TO sail. He
replied to me that the Collector OF the Port
had already made such investigation and
| had entirely satisfied himself that the Kron-
prinz was not sailing upon any mission hos
| tile TO the nations with which Germany was
at war. The next day | read in the news
papers that the investigation" consisted in
taking the affidavit of the captain of the
Kronprinz that ne had no arms on board and
that Bremen vas his bona ide destination.
! II is now undsputed that the Kronprinz
went out under instructions TO get in touch
with the German cruiser Karlsruhe and be
governed by the directions of the captain OF
that warship; also that she sctually met the
Karlsruhe on the high seas and transferred