The Basket
Senior Master Sergeant
- 3,712
- Jun 27, 2007
So is a merchant ship a warship and therefore legal to sink?
If a merchant ship evades a warship then it is resisting boarding then could be classed as a combatant.
If a merchant ship had a 4 inch gun manned by military personnel then is it a warship?
If it is told to ram a submarine then is it a warship?
If it is told to radio a warning then again is it a warship?
If it carries what maybe war material then is it a warship?
The legal definition of Prize Rules or what a merchant vessel is certainly up for grabs and the use of Q Ships means that a merchant ship could be genuinely mistaken for a warship and following prize rules to be suicidal.
So sinking merchant vessels without warning would be perfectly legal if the ships are seen as combatant.
If a merchant ship evades a warship then it is resisting boarding then could be classed as a combatant.
If a merchant ship had a 4 inch gun manned by military personnel then is it a warship?
If it is told to ram a submarine then is it a warship?
If it is told to radio a warning then again is it a warship?
If it carries what maybe war material then is it a warship?
The legal definition of Prize Rules or what a merchant vessel is certainly up for grabs and the use of Q Ships means that a merchant ship could be genuinely mistaken for a warship and following prize rules to be suicidal.
So sinking merchant vessels without warning would be perfectly legal if the ships are seen as combatant.