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Rules of Prize Warfare

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	Topics Rules of Prize Warfare Topic Home Rules of Prize Warfare defines a set of rules for taking prizesPrize (law) Prize is a term used in admiralty law to refer to equipment, vehicles, and vessels captured as a result of armed conflict.... —vesselsShip Overview A ship is a large, sea-going watercraft.... captured during warWar War is a conflict involving the organized use of weapons and physical force by states or other large-scale groups.... —that were originally laid down in the days of sailing shipSailing ship Sailing ship is now used to refer to any large, wind-powered, vessel.... s. Some of the rules state that: passenger shipPassenger ship A passenger ship is a ship whose primary function is to carry passengers.... s may not be sunk; crews of merchant shipsMerchant vessel A merchant vessel is a ship that transports cargo and passengers during peace time.... must be placed in safety before their ships may be sunk (life boats are not considered a place of safety unless close to land); only warshipFacts About Warship A warship is a ship that is built and primarily intended for war.... s may be sunk without warning. All sides signed treatiesTreaty A treaty is a binding agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely states and inter... (the Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907) subscribing to Rules of Prize Warfare before World War IWorld War I World War I, also known as the First World War, the Great War and "The War to End All Wars" was a global m... and they were also in effect during World War IIWorld War II World War II, or the Second World War, was a worldwide conflict fought between the Allied Powers and the Axis Powers ,... . During 1914-1917, Germany adhered to the prize rules, until it declared unrestricted submarine warfare. During World War IIWorld War II Summary World War II, or the Second World War, was a worldwide conflict fought between the Allied Powers and the Axis Powers ,... , GermanyGermany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in central Europe.... adhered to the prize rules for the first 2 months of 1939, and then unrestricted submarine warfareFacts About Unrestricted submarine warfare Unrestricted submarine warfare is a type of naval warfare in which submarines sink merchant ships without warning.... was again practised. In 1912, British Admiral Sir John "Jackie" FisherJackie Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher Summary Admiral of the Fleet John Arbuthnot "Jackie" Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher, GCB, OM, GCVO was a British admiral known for his eff... , by then a retired First Sea LordFirst Sea Lord The First Sea Lord is the professional head of the British Royal Navy.... , presented a paper to the CabinetCabinet of the United Kingdom In the politics of the United Kingdom, the Cabinet is a formal body composed of government officials chosen by the Prime Min... . He developed the argument that submarineSubmarine A submarine is a specialized watercraft that can operate underwater.... s would find adherence to Prize Rules impossible, for practical reasons: a submarine could not capture a merchant ship, for it would have no spare manpower to deliver the prize to a neutral port, neither could it take survivors or prisoners, for lack of space. "...there is nothing a submarine can do except sink her capture." If a merchant ship were armed, as was permitted by a conference in London in 1912, then a submarine was under more pressure to destroy a ship. He asked: "What if the Germans were to use submarines against commerce without restriction?" This last comment was thought to be unsupportable. Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC was an English statesman and author, best known as Prime Min... , then First Lord of the AdmiraltyAdmiralty The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the United Kingdom responsible for the command of the Royal Navy.... and political head of the Royal NavyFacts About Royal Navy The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services .... , supported by senior naval opinion, said it was inconceivable that "...this would ever be done by a civilised power." It was Fisher who was proven correct. The treaties are still in effect today. See also Unrestricted submarine warfareUnrestricted submarine warfare Unrestricted submarine warfare is a type of naval warfare in which submarines sink merchant ships without warning....