§ MR. J. G. PHILLIMOREsaid, it had been stated that Captain Watson, of the Impérieuse, had notified to the authorities at Port Baltic, that foreign neutral vessels would be permitted to depart either in ballast or not having Russian property on board. Upon this the Russian Government observed that, by such a step, Her Britannic Majesty resumed the right which she had abandoned by Order in Council at the commencement of the war—namely, 1317 that of confiscating neutral vessels having Russian property on board other than goods contraband of war; in other words, rescinded the principle that "the flag covered the merchandise." He trusted that such was not the case, and that the First Lord of the Admiralty would be able to give a satisfactory explanation of the circumstances alluded to.
§ SIR CHARLES WOODsaid, he was in a position to give the most complete and satisfactory explanation to the hon. and learned Gentleman in reference to the interpretation put by Russia on the notification given by Captain Watson, of Her Majesty's frigate Impérieuse, to the Russian authorities at Port Baltic. It appeared in one of the public papers that the Russian Government had issued a circular stating that a notification had been sent in by Captain Watson, which was in contravention of the declaration of Her Majesty at the commencement of the war with reference to the rights of neutral vessels. He was happy to be able to say that there was not the slightest foundation in the world for the statement which had emanated from the Russian Government. He had seen Captain Watson, who was now in this country, and also Lieutenant Godsell, the officer who carried the notice into Port Baltic; and he was able to state precisely what that officer had said, which statement, the House would see, was in strict accordance with his duty, and totally at variance with the account given of it by the Russian Government. The facts of the case were these:—The First Lieutenant of the Impérieuse was sent into Port Baltic, where he met the civil governor on the pier, and told him for what purpose he had come—that vessels then in the harbour must leave in ballast, or with whatever goods they had on board; but that they would not be allowed to take in further cargo after the intimation of the blockade. The officer, in company with the civil governor, then visited every ship in the harbour, and found that only two had any cargo—one a Dutch vessel laden with lime, and another a Danish vessel laden with spirits, both Russian produce, and probably the property of Russians. Those vessels were allowed to leave the harbour, and no questions were asked as to the ownership of the property, and thus it would be seen that the principles contained in Her Majesty's declaration that the flag should cover the cargo, had not been at all interfered with. This 1318 was the substance of what passed. He might also refer to another statement which had been made with reference to a request made by the civil governor to Captain Watson, to allow four Russian vessels to proceed to Riga. What Captain Watson said on that occasion was, that the vessels were free to leave so far as he was concerned, but that he could not say whether the Commander in Chief of the fleet, who was coming up the Baltic, might not interfere with them.