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January 28[edit]

Time limit on similar trap tactic as the Trap of Montevideo[edit]

Article 16 of the Hague Convention says: "A belligerent war-ship may not leave a neutral port or roadstead until twenty-four hours after the departure of a merchant ship flying the flag of its adversary."[1]

The British famously used this Article to "trap" a German warship in the Battle of the River Plate.

I don't see any clause in this Article that limits how long a "trap" like this can last. Can this "trap" be used to force a warship to stay in a neutral port for the duration of an entire war? Liberté2 (talk) 02:52, 28 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Only if you have enough merchant ships to have one depart each and every day. Although I suppose you could make do with two. Have ship A depart on day 1, ship B depart on day 2 and have A return to port the same day, and keep on alternating. However, the authorities might get a bit tired of these shenanigans. Clarityfiend (talk) 12:34, 28 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Presumably the merchant ships had a planned itinerary with bills of lading and Montivideo was on their route. I don't think that diverting merchant ships or running them empty would qualify, which running them in and out of port on alternate days would suggest. 2A00:23C7:2B14:A201:D4C3:1F14:2CBE:C1E0 (talk) 13:54, 28 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]

You could send them from Montevideo (Uruguay) to Buenos Aires (Argentina) and back. It's about a 110 mile run; even at a leisurely 5 knots that's only 22 hours, less if you can get a bit of a shift on or take a tidal assist. Martin of Sheffield (talk) 15:06, 28 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Does the Port of New York and New Jersey have any roadsteads?[edit]

Bolivar Roads, Hampton Roads, Lahaina Roads and Puget Sound are the only American ones in the list at roadstead. I've never heard anything in Boston, Philly or Baltimore called a roads(tead) either but I'm not a boater. Sagittarian Milky Way (talk) 16:18, 28 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]

There is likely to be overlap between Roadsteads and Natural harbors, of which New York is one. I notice for example that Roadstead of Brest and Scapa Flow are listed in both articles. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 90.205.103.187 (talk) 19:44, 28 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]