§ MR. GRAVESasked the President of the Board of Trade, in reference to a Memorial from the shipowners of the United Kingdom, on the subject of the liability of British vessels in foreign waters, and presented to that Board in May last, What steps have been taken by Government in the matter; and, 836 whether any recent communications have passed to or from the Government of the United States on the subject?
§ MR. A. PEEL, in reply, said, that a Memorial on the important subject to which his hon. Friend referred had been presented on behalf of the shipowners of the United Kingdom in May last, in consequence of which representations were made by the Department to the Foreign Office. On the 31st of May the Government forwarded the Memorial to Her Majesty's Representative in the United States, with a request that he would lay it before the authorities in that country, and urge on them the importance of as speedily as possible amending the law of merchant shipping in this respect. No communication on this point had since been received from Sir Edward Thornton, nor was it known what precise representations he had addressed to the United States Government; but he could assure his hon. Friend that the matter should not be lost sight of, but should be pressed with all the influence at the command of the Government.