§ MR. BENTINCKsaid, he rose to ask the President of the Board of Trade, Whether it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to introduce any measure in this House, or to take any steps for the purpose of putting a stop to the present manner of dealing, in this country and in Ireland, with British and French fishing boats captured for infringements of the convention of 1843?
§ MR. MILNER GIBSONsaid, that in reply to the question of the hon. Gentleman, he had only to say that there had been no complaints as to the mode in which vessels infringing the convention were dealt with in this country. It had, no doubt, been the duty of the authorities in the various parts of the country to enforce the Convention Act upon our fishermen, but the Government had not heard that any persons had complained of the way in which that had been done. There had been complaints as to the procedure in France in carrying out the provisions of the treaty, and representations had been made to the French Government, setting forth the complaints. Those representations had been favourably received, and were under the consideration of the French Government.