§ MR. CHANNING (Northamptonshire, E.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the programme agreed upon by the American delegates to the International Maritime Conference, and submitted by them on 3rd April to Mr. Blaine, was communicated by the United States Government to Her Majesty's Government in the same form or with any modifications; and, if the latter, what were the modifications; whether the programme, as drawn up by the American delegates, included the following subjects: signals by lights or by sound to indicate the courses of vessels at night and during fogs and thick weather, and steering and sailing rules; regulations to determine the seaworthiness of vessels; uniform maximum load-line; regulations as to the designation and marking of vessels; saving of life and property from shipwreck at sea and by operations from shore; tests for sight and colour blindness; lanes for steamers on frequented routes, to prevent collision and to protect fishermen; night signals for communicating information at sea; warnings of approaching storms; reporting and removing dangerous wrecks; uniform method of exchanging information as to dangers to navigation, changes in lights, buoys, &c.; uniform system of colouring and numbering buoys; the establishment of a permanent International Maritime Commission; and, whether the final programme, as agreed upon between Her Majesty's Government and the United States Government, comprises the whole of 977 these subjects or only some of them; and, in the latter case, which subjects constitute the final programme?
§ * THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir JAMES FERGUSSON,) Manchester, N. E.The programme was communicated to Her Majesty's Government in the form submitted on April 3 and without modifications. The thirteen general divisions under which the programme is arranged comprise the subjects mentioned in the question. No final programme has as yet been agreed upon between the two Governments.
§ MR. CHANNINGTs an agreement likely to be arrived at at a reasonable time, so as to enable the Conference to be held this year?
§ * SIR J. FERGUSSONHer Majesty's Government have stated their views to the Government of the United States, but they have not received a reply. Therefore, it is impossible for me to answer the hon. Gentleman's question, but there is no reason to believe that the Conference will not be held this year.