Den Haag: Width of the territorial sea.

[Ithekro]

Rohan was speaking of vessels seeing the coasts of Rohan rather than Rohan seeing ships from shore as being under the protection of Rohan.

From testing, war, and long range fire practise, the Kingdom of Rohan believes that capital ships cannot fire effectively over 10,000 yards with existing technology, and even then it is questionable.  That would bring the concept of the 3 mile limit out to 5 miles as a cannon shell flys...at least effectively.  Even what most countries believe is a practical battle range of 6,000 yards is about 3 and a half miles.

That being said, if should be legal to deturmine the intentions of a foreign warship before it enters your own territorial waters as it is perfectly capable of raining death and destruction from outside of present European territorial limits.

[Borys]

In wartime territorial limits mean diddly anyway.

[Korpen]

Pas de Calais is already congested with traffic. It's just waiting for a disaster to happen.  And territorial waters or not, it will happen.

Accident will happen, sooner or later, but as of yet the traffic is not so congested. Also there are already regulations in place for conduct in the Pas de Kales, just no enforceable, but they do not need to be as on one what to risk his or her ship.

The Position of the Netherlands in pragmatic, 3 or 6 is both acceptable,IF the country in question has signed the law of territorial sea. The free passage in straits is central to much of both conventions, and we are going to suggest an addition to the law of  the territorial sea that reinforce the free passage in straits for all nations.
This would also open up for a bit more restriction in the rest of the territorial sea, that i get a feeling some nations whish for.

[miketr]

Iberia's stance as already noted is 6 nm.  The 3 nm claim of old was based upon the range of coastal artillery to fire out that far. 

First a definitionis 1 nautical mile = 1852 meters exactly.

So 3 nm = 5,556 meters
And 6 nm = 11,112 meters

The artillery of today is vastly more powerful and longer ranged than that of the 18th century.  A fundamental element of Sovereignty is the ability to defend it and since modern artillery allows the enforcement of a 6 nm claim Iberia is interested why nations would support a 3 nm claim but not the extended one.  At the same time we wonder at the logic a 12 nm or 20 nm claims which is out side of a nations ability to enforce the claim from land.

Iberia

[Borys]

- "Habsburg batteries on Malta can blow a ship out of the water well over 6 miles - nautical miles - from the shore. But the Habsburg Monarchy has no need to police anything beyond the Tradition Hallowed 3 mile limit. If a ship comits acts inimical to the Monarchy, it will be shot at - regardless if 3, 6, or 9 miles off shore."

[maddox]

France is still for the 6 nautical miles zone, as any of the counter arguments find their base in the old custom and primitive way of thinking of the never agreed upon 3 Nautical miles limit.

[Desertfox]

Since the discussion revolves around gun and eyesight ranges, why not use the standard measure used in battle? The yard and meter. And as the the maximum effective range is around 10,000 yds why not use that for territorial water limits? 10,000yds or its equivalent (5 NM, or 10 KM)  should be adequate being between the old limits of 3 NM or the new claims of 6 NM. It is about the farthest distance an eye can see from a resonable perch and the maximum effective range a gun can hit.

[maddox]

Admiral Geon speaking

As our New Swiss delegate mentions, why bicker over something that is rather futile in most cases? And why muddying the issue with yet another distance?

Up to now we have only the traditionalists, wanting to keep the historical 3 miles. And the rationalists who want to double this to 6 nautical miles.
If the traditionalists only want 3 miles, nobody will blame or stop them only protecting those 3 miles and ignore the other 3 miles.

I myself can understand the 6 miles the French gouvernement wants. It's my duty to enforce this 6miles if it comes to that.

[Phoenix]

Pu Lun nodded: "I think it wisest to opt for the 6 nautical miles. The Middle Kingdom is not comfortable with shrinking our Territorial Waters but if it needs to be done in order to ensure Global Harmony we would prefer the largest distance acceptable to all."

[Borys]

GRUMBLE GRUMBLE Ancestors Dishonoured GRUBLE GRUMBLE Imre Nagy agrees to 6 mile Territorial Waters limit in the Name of the Austrian Empire and Hungarian Kingdom GRUMBLE GRUMBLE

[Carthaginian]

The Confederate States of America assent to the 6 mile limit.

[Desertfox]

New Switzerland does not agree to the 6 NM limit.

[Walter]

Japan agrees with the 6 nautical mile limit of territorial waters...

...
...
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... and a special 3 nautical mile limit for New Switserland. ;D

[Ithekro]

Rohan can accept a 6 mile limit, though many vessels will calm to be within protected territorial waters as soon as they can see land.  At least until the new international law starts to actually set with the civilian populations and military commanders.

[Korpen]

Hendrik Colijn: "The Kingdom of the Netherlands is will acknowledge claim of up to 6nm territorial sea for all counties that are signatories of the Law of the territorial sea, and accepting a 3nm claim from countries that are not."