SUBMARINE OUTRAGES.

Colonist, Volume LVIII, Issue 14293, 23 December 1916, Page 5

SUBMARINE OUTRAGES.

ARMING OF MERCHANTMEN.

CAPTAIN BLAIKIE'S CASE,

A GERMAN QUIBBLE.

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.)

London, Dee. 21. In the House of Commons, Sir Edward Carson, First Lord of the Admiralty, referring to the reply of Germany regarding Captain Blaikie, declared that Britain did not admit any distinction between the rights of unarmed merchantmen and those* defensively armed. ' Doubtless Germany aimed at confusing offensive and defensive action, with the object of inducing neutrals to treat defensivelyarmed vessels as warships. Our position ?was -that merchantmen enjoyed an~"'immemorial right to" defend1 them-* selves from attack, > visit, or search by" the{enemy by any means., Webelieved tb'it all accepted jQiis-yiew, which, morebver, >was embodied; in tho German rfegrilation^.-. fHe* ."assured <tne' House iiiait c6ntinuous':attentjon ivould be given to protectively arming

CABLE NEWS.

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