ARMED MERCHAHANTMEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 3100, 13 August 1913, Page 82

ARMED MERCHAHANTMEN.

TWO GUNS ON THE ROTORUA. (Frou Ocr Own Correspondent.) LONDON, June 20. In accordance with the Admiralty scheme for the arming of food-carrying steamers, the New Zealand Shipping Company’s s.s. Rotorua is now being prepared at the London docks for the carriage of two 4.7 guns. The Federal Company’s Wiltshire, which is due to leave Liverpool early next week for Australia, is also being equipped ; while but for the accident to the Tainui this vessel of the Shaw’ Savill, and Albion Company would have left London this week with her guns on board. Opinions differ in city shipping circles as to the wisdom of this course of action, but the general view is that it is a prudent move—in other words, a card in the game for safety. The prime movers in the matter are the British Admiralty, and the shipowners have been left to please themselves whether they fall in with the idea or not. The New Zealand Shipping Company has agreed to the arming cf the Rotorua, but whether the other vessels of this company’s fleet will be similarly armed it is not possible as yet to say. The Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company some time ago made arrangements with the Admiralty for the arming of its steamers, and the guns destined for the Tainui are now at the docks.

Shipping companies see many difficulties in carrying out the scheme, but it would be wrong to say that they are opposed to it. Considerable expense and inconvenience will be involved. Steamers will have to be specially fitted, a certain amount of space will be lost, and the ammunition room has to be refrigerated, to say nothing of any possible alterations with regard to the crew. It may not always be convenient to get the men, but it is understood that the Admiralty has promised to help in this particular direction. Another great difficulty is that of retaining the ammunition on board ship when in port. Quite recently The Times called attention to this aspect of the question, and cited Auckland as a case in point. lam informed, however, that there is probably not a port in the Empire which ships can enter with ammunition on hoard. So strict are the Port of London Authorities in this matter that special permission had to he obtained to bring rockets and blue lights into dock. Any local harbour board or port authority will bo able to put difficulties in the way of a steamer entering docks having ammunition on board, and so render the scheme impracticable. The British Goverment is now making arrangements with oversea Governments so that this narticular difficulty may be overcome. The arming of the merchantmen is exclusively for defensive purposes._ There is no question of attack or aggression. They could not fight an enemy’s man-of-war. The guns are mounted at the stern so that in case of attack by a foreign merchantman the vessel would turn round to seek safety in flight and use these guns for firing at the pursuer. The intention is to protect the food supplies of the Motherland, and the vessels chiefly affected are those which sail the open seas, and trade between this country, New Zealand, Australia, and the'-Cape. It is no secret that the merchant vessels of the neighbouring European countries have for a long time past been armed, and the British Admiralty is merely taking precautionary measures.