Den Telegraaf 1907

[The Rock Doctor]

Sometimes a good steak is worth the trouble.

[Ithekro]

Heh.

Actually I would take a more extreme example than Foxy since France is still close to Great Britian.

However name one good reason for a lets say Columbian warship to stop an Italian merchant traveling from Italy to Tunis.

[Korpen]

However name one good reason for a lets say French warship to stop a British merchant traveling from Ireland to Great Britain.

Im pretty sure the crew would not have survived the encounter had they not fired. Deadmen tell no tales and the Spanish where after more than just an 'inspection'. The cows surprisingly survived the encounter (but a Spanish cruiser, a Swiss cruiser, and a Chinese TB did not!).

Well, they suspect one of the following:
(a) That the ship is engaged in piracy; or
(b) That the ship is engaged in the slave trade; or
(c) That though flying a foreign flag or refusing to show its flag, the ship is, in reality, of the same nationality as the warship.

However if the ground for stoping is found to be unjustified, then the state should compensate for any cost the stop might have created.

[Ithekro]

Well if I recall the Swiss were in an active war with the Middle Kingdom at that time.  It it not usual to arm freighters lightly in times of war to discourage opportunistic raiders?  Of course the Middle Kingdom Navy was not know to be able to actually go forth and attack Swiss shipping, but at that point in the war it could not be ruled out.

One thing of note.  The Swiss mentality seems geared towards a 1700s mindset.  That may help others in figuring out their reasoning for doing things.

[Korpen]

Well if I recall the Swiss were in an active war with the Middle Kingdom at that time.  It it not usual to arm freighters lightly in times of war to discourage opportunistic raiders? 

Not in this period it was not, there is really only against two threats that thare is any point in arming merchentmen, and that is against subs and aircrafts, neither witch applies here.

[Desertfox]

Considering that just a few minutes after the fighting started, between the "Rustbucket' and the Spanish warship, a couple of Chinese torpedo boats on just such a raiding mission appeared looking for Swiss ships, the arming of the merchant was fuly justified. The armament of the merchant (1x3", 1x40mm, 2xMGs) was sufficient with dealing with the Chinese threat as Chinese TBs where armed only with 1x3" and 1x25mm guns (no TB would waste valuable torpedoes on an old rusting merchant).

[Korpen]

Considering that just a few minutes after the fighting started, between the "Rustbucket' and the Spanish warship, a couple of Chinese torpedo boats on just such a raiding mission appeared looking for Swiss ships, the arming of the merchant was fuly justified. The armament of the merchant (1x3", 1x40mm, 2xMGs) was sufficient with dealing with the Chinese threat as Chinese TBs where armed only with 1x3" and 1x25mm guns (no TB would waste valuable torpedoes on an old rusting merchant).

I disagree it was justified, as there is no need for a tb to start shooting on an un-armed merchantman, and a merchantman while it CAN win such a figh,it is unlikley to do it (a less trained crew at older guns on a slower and much larger target). 4 times out of 5 it will only result in the ship sunk, and crew killed, something that they would not be if the ship was unarmed. Hurting the enemt is very fine and all, but for that is a job for the navy, not the poor merchant sailors.

[Ithekro]

Would the Chinese take prisoners or prizes with torpedo boats?  Or just sink it anyway to deny the Swiss resources?

[Korpen]

Den Telegraaf: From the Singapore office.
There is rumours about a team of Russian officers prospecting land at the mouth of the Pulai River for a potential naval base at Tanjung Pelepas. That land would in that case most likely be leased to the Russian empire.

[Korpen]

Rules of engagement
Ships that enter combat under false flag, or fighting under a merchant flag, will have forfeited all their rights to be treated as prisoners of war. Captains are free to string any survivors from such a ship from the fighting tops if they so wish.

Captain and crew of civilian ships that is captured without resistance will be granted their share of the profit from the sale of the cargo if their contract so allows. If they in their contract have not grated them a share in the cargo, 5% of the profit will be shared out among the captain and crew.
This money could be used to improve their position in interment.
If the ship owner is aboard, he or she will have a right to 25% of the money from the prize auction as compensation..

[Korpen]

INformation to civilian shipping:
The Kalimati, sunda, Lombok straits are all mined and closed to comercial traffic.

[Borys]

Key words:

Ships that enter combat under false flag,

[Korpen]

Key words:

Ships that enter combat under false flag,

Defined as 60hm.

[Borys]

:)
Defined by whom?
Borys

[Korpen]

:)
Defined by whom?
Borys

By the Koninklijke Marine.
"Combat" is defined as a distance of 60hm, as that is the maximum effective range of the guns used by the kind of ships that can play merchant.