Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-03-03
MERCHANTMEN MUST USE
ARMS F0R>DEFENsE ONLY
BRUSH Admiralty Makes Public
Orders Given on October
20, 1915.
TO KEFurE GERMAN CHARGES
instructions Still I'm Force, Success
sife Changes Being Made to En-
plastic Purely Peaceful Charac-
ter OF Armed Merchantmen.

ter OF Armed Merchantmen.
LONDON, March 1.-The Eritish nd-
nIirHity to-nisht officially made public
lhe udmiraltN's orders 10 armed Incr-
shahtineh, given on October 30. 1915.
the orders say that the ornaments of
such vessels must be used solely for
sell ana Tor no other purpose. AS Brit
ish submarines and aircraft are ordered
hot to approach merchantmen. the or
herS say, the approach to British
aicrchantiDan OF - submarine is TO be
regarded AS done with II hostile inten-
ton. The official statement reads ms
follows:
In view Of the recent issue BY the
Eermah government OF "A memorandum
on IN" treatment OF armed merchant
ships, tn. admiralty has decided to
make public the instructions actually
governing the actions OF British mer-
chant vessels armed for self-defcnse
instructions dated 10Th OF October.
1915. are the status % armed merchant
ships:
20 The right OF Il crew of a ner-
chant vessel 10 forcibly resist visit
ana search and Tight in sclf-defense is
well recognized III international law
and expressly admitted by the German
prize regulations in an addendum is
sueh June ~ 1914. at time when il
was known that numerous merchant
vessels were hein. armed for self-de-
Tense.
"t2I Armament is supplied solely for
the purpose oil resisting attack by IN
armed enemy vessel, aud must not he
used Tor any other purpose Whatsoever
90 An armed merchnat vessel
therefore. must not in any cIrcun
stances interfere with or obstruct Tho
'ree passage of other merchant yes
- IA la. r,
are friendly, neutral or hostile
I'D The status OF a British armed
merchant vessel cannot I've changed
upon the high seas
~ EXERCISE OF RIGHT
OF SELF-DEFENSE
RULES 10 he observed in the exercise
or the right of self-defense:
I'D Tho master or officer I'm com
man" Is responsible for opening and
ccasing fire.
"2) Participation In armed resist
a"ce must be confined to persons oc,-
'nE under the orders OF the master mr.
the officer ia command
- before opening IRE the British
colors must lie hois.ed
- flre must not be opened ar con-
,'"uei from vessel which has stonned
nauled down her flag, or otherwise IN
"''"'"" hef intention TO surrender
,"} The expression, armament. in
''hhcS NOT only cannon. but also rigns
aud machine guns in cases ahsro -, 'n.s
nave been supplied
90 The ammunition used l., ;,
'hu machine guns must conform, IN ~
,iotc - The Hague convention ~
iIo. mat Is. bullets must he cased ~
NM, or Other hard substance. and
"s TO cause them to expand or So, way
''N'hE Il man. The use OF ex
r'"s'Ne bullets Is forbidden.
ARMAMENT EOH PURPOSE
OF DEFENSE ONLY
-, "REMINISCENCES under which arma
men, should be employed: ''''"
ne armament i. supplied for ,h.
% pa nose or defense only. The Ollie.
o' the master should be 10 avoid
'i"h whenever possible
= Experience has shown ,r,, hos
we submarines and aircraft bav. fra
u"eh'S attacked merchant vessel,
w'thout warning. II is imnor,.n,
therefore. that craft OF this descnin!
'!oh should not be allowed 10 annronn,,
to short iange. at which a Io rnnd o"c 81,
oofnb launched without not;ca wo.,II,
Almost certainly be effective Rri,Gsi'
an" allied submarines and oircr,r
or"ers not to approach merchant
SSeS' Consequently, il may he pre-
s"lned that any submarine or oirrruf
which deliberately approaches ~ -
sues merchant vessel docs so ,yIth
noStiie intention. In such cases. dre
may be opened in sclf-defensa I'm order
10 proven, the hostile craft from clos
ING 10 range at which resistance =,
" sudden attack with bomb or tornedo
would be impossible.
- An armed merchant ynssc, mo
c'odinT 10 render assistance 10 Ma
crew of vessel in distress must M,
see s, ACTON with any other hostile |
tnl II,
me doing so, fire may be opened in
elf-dcfense. "
= II should be remembered thar
me nag Is no guide TO nationality. !
German submarines ANA armed vessels !
nhve frequently employed the British, I
rench or neutral colors to approach
undetected. Though. however, the use
OF disguise and false colors to ESCAPE
capture IS Legitimate ruse de guerre
Us adoption by defensiveiy armed mer
chant ships may easily lead To mis-
conception Such vessels, therefore.
disguise which might cause them 10 /
he mistaken for neutral ships
7 HESE INSTRUCTIONS
AT PRESENT IN FORCE
'Admiralty comment: These instruc-
tons which are those at present in |
force. are the latest issue: successive
issues nave been made. not by reason |
" 'h''Sc III poilcN-tnc policy /
throughout has remained unalicr2d-
tui ~ Improvement In wording and /
greater clearncss of expression TO cm
rhas,Ze the purely peaceful character
of armed merchantmen.
II is because OF the distorted iu- I
depreciation given these instructions as +
T. whole, and the very forced charGc- 4
ter Of the interpretation by the Ger |
man government to portions which they |
quote from an carly issue of the in |
Structions. that the admiralty felt il |
desirable. with view to allaying neu-
trail anxiety, to publish these in ex-
tcnso.'"