§ COLONEL SYKESsaid, he would beg-to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whether, in the recent Instructions transmitted to Naval Officers on Foreign Stations, a discretionary power is given to such Officers to obey or not the requisitions of British Diplomatic and Consular Agents for Military aid in cases of emergency, or in any other case?
§ MR. CHILDERSSir, there is nothing in the recent Instructions issued to Naval Officers for their guidance upon the occurrence of any matter of difficulty in a foreign port at variance with; Article 44 of the Admiralty printed instructions. That Article is in the following words:—
The officers in command of Her Majesty's ships are to pay due regard to any requisition which may be made to them, in the absence of the Commander-in-Chief, from the Governors, and other British authorities within the limits of the station on which they are employed, for their co-operation and assistance on any necessary service, whether it be for the protection of Her Majesty's Possessions or for the benefit of the trade of Her Majesty's subjects, or otherwise, so long as the same does not interfere with or infringe any instructions they may previously have received from a superior naval authority; it being of course a general obligation on all Her Majesty's Civil and Military Officers to afford mutual aid and assistance to each other in all cases affecting the welfare of the Queen's Service. In any very urgent case, where requisitions made by Governors or other authorized persons may interfere with the Instructions under which the Officers in command of Her Majesty's Ships are acting, the Commanding Naval Officer on the spot must, in the absence of the Commander-in-Chief on a part of his station too distant to admit of reference being made to him in the first instance, very maturely weigh and consider the relative importance and urgency of any such required 1354 service, as compared with that directed by his Instructions; and he must then act with regard to complying with, or refusing to comply with, such requisition as his judgment shall point out to be right; always recollecting the very heavy responsibility he will incur by an infringement of the orders of the superior naval authorities, unless the urgency of the case shall most fully warrant it.This Instruction was issued thirty or forty years ago, and it has never been revoked.
§ COLONEL SYKESsaid, he wished to know whether the right hon. Gentleman will have any objection to lay a Return on the Table respecting the recent Instructions that had been issued?
§ MR. CHILDERSThe recent Instructions do not in any way bear on the point which my hon. and gallant Friend has raised. I will, however, lay on the table the Instruction which does touch that point.