New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-21
Aberlour, with Turret
Screened, to Arm
at Halifax
TO FIGHT U-BOATS
AND AEROPLANES
New Armament Method
Believed To Be General;
Creates Issue for u. 5.

New methods OF uSHtlhB O-D'"S'
were revealed yesterday, when the
British steamer Aberlour sailed for
Southampton via Halifax, with cargo
of empty shells and general war NUM-
tions valued conseryatiyely at s75O,OOO'
The Aberlour is fitted with struct-
uraI steel gun tower, situated above
the stern deck and concealed by can
vas "blinders," hinged to drop out oil
the way when the gun goes into action
She is going to Halifax, it was said, to
have a six-inch gun mounted on her
turret. as we'll as to ship four BRUSH
marine gunners.
The sailing Of the Aberlour LENDS
color to the report circulated in Lon
don soon after Lloyd George took ONCE
that all Allied merchant vessels carry
ing cargoes Of war munitions would
nut into Halifax to be armed with TWO
six-inch guns, for offensive and as well
as defensive purposes.
In addition to being armed these
Allied merchant vessels are equipped
with a secret code whereby they can
communicate with fast British cruis-
ers and other men-ofwar doing patrol
dutv in the North Atlantic. To avoid
establishing any regular course which
might become known to German RAID
ers. Allied vessels are at present COM
pel!ed to stop at certain latitude and
longitude and send out a code wireless
message, which is picked up by Allied
war vessels.
six Messages Must BE Sent
At present all Allied merchantmen
arc compelled TO stop six times between
New York anu any European port and
send out the code messages different
message for each station
The moment any vessel fails to send
out report that she has reached the
appointed spot the Allied cruisers i'm
mediately start out in search of her.
Tho codes are changed usually every
voyage or ever, second voyage, or as
often as receg . demands. Similar
codes are en- for all vessels
leaving South 4 can ports, with diff
rerent varfaticr as well as for Allied
vessels in the coastwise traffic.
For this reason it is believed in ship
ming circles here that the German raid
er or raiders may have been captured
bv British battleships and that their
destruction is being kept secret by the
Admiralty, Just as the destruction OF
the super-dreadnough Arathusa was
kept secret. o..
Many naval experts connected with
the new British Cabinet have openly
expressed themselves in favor of arm
ing ships for offence as well as defence,
and have stated that not to do so was
laxity of naval policy.
Early in December Lord Charles
Beresford, former First Lord of the Ad-
miralty, openly expressed himself IN
favor of arming all merchant We iels
for offence as we'll as defence.
Beresford's Armament View
In a recent appeal to the British pub
lie, Lord Charles said:
"The present position with regard to
the future food supply and raw material
is. i'm nv opinion, one of unparalleled
gravity. Any hiatus in the lines OF
communication of our ocean-borne
traffic would create an appalling state
of affairs, particularly as We shall soon
have to take steps TO reyictual the
country.
"The new strategy and tactics that
have been developed in submarine war
fare, changing the attack from head
lands to the deep sea, require strategy
and tactics to meet and beat these de-
velopments.
"The navy has been hampered by
political exigencies, involving in many
cases a policy Of defence instead Of at
tack. Take the case with regard to
arming merchant ships. As the arma-
ment consists of gun mounted astern,
a British merchant ship, on seeing a
submarine, has to put her helm up, eX-
pose her broadside, or largst target, to
the submarine. ana run away in order
to get the gun TO bear, increasing her
range every second, making - more
difficult 10 hit the enemy and adopt
ing a method totally opposed 20 British
traditions, and particularly disgusting
to the gallant officers and men OF the
mercantile marine. by assuming an at
titude of offence rather than attack.
"The traditional policy that has made
the British Empire what it is to-day
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