§ MR. GOURLEYasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If the blockade of all Russian harbours in the Black Sea has been raised; if so, if he can state if it is the intention of the Russian Government to remove during the armistice the torpedoes which have been laid at the mouths of the Danube, Odessa, and other blockaded harbours, and allow the export of wheat and other commodities; and, further, if he will endeavour to arrange with the Turkish authorities that British vessels entering the Black Sea during the armistice shall be allowed to trade to and from belligerent ports?
§ MR. BOURKEIn answer to the first part of the Question, I have to state that we have received the terms of the Armistice from our Ambassador at Constantinople to-day, and according to those terms it appears that one of them is that the blockade of the Black Sea 1323 ports is raised. We have also heard that it is the intention of the Russian Government to remove the torpedoes from the mouths of the Danube. With regard to the navigation of the Danube generally, we have heard that it is the intention of the Russian Government to superintend for the present the navigation of the Danube. With regard to Odessa and the other ports, as the blockade is raised, we suppose there will be no difficulty for British ships going in and out of the blockaded harbours, and I think that Answer will answer the Question with regard to the export of wheat and other commodities. My Answer to the last part of the Question is that, as the blockade has been raised, there will be no difficulty for British ships trading with the belligerent ports; but upon all these subjects I have mentioned, Her Majesty's Ambassador at St. Petersburg has been instructed by telegraph to communicate any information which he may have from time to time upon the subject to the Government.