§ MR. FRASER-MACKINTOSHasked the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether his attention has been called to the proceedings of the officials of H.M.S. "Jackal," on 20th June, off Stornoway, in seizing, without cause, the herring fishing boat "Perseverance," of Stornoway, whereby a week's fishing was lost, the boat was left on the beach and much damaged, and the skipper kept prisoner for several days, but acquitted on trial, without hearing his counsel; and, whether he will institute an inquiry into the circumstances, with the view of compensating those wronged, and punishing the wrong doers?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANThe Admiralty have received from the officer commanding Her Majesty's ship Jackal a report of the occurrences referred to by my hon. Friend. That officer appears, in the exercise of his powers under the Sea Fisheries Act, to have detained the fishing boat Perseverance in consequence of having found her equipment deficient in certain respects. The boat, notwithstanding his order, put to sea, and on her return a prosecution was, with the sanction of the Fishery Board, instituted against the master. At the trial of the case a good deal of contradictory evidence was given, and 1939 in the end the master was acquitted. The Admiralty, however, have no reason to attribute to the commander of the Jackal any want of discretion or of intelligence in the discharge of his duty. The boat was only detained three days, and not a week; she was not left on the beach, but was required to be beached by her crew, which is a usual custom. The petty officer who inspected her previous to her discharge saw no damage, and it is understood that she proceeded to sea immediately after the trial; and the master was not kept prisoner for several days, but was detained for one night only, on the advice of the Procurator Fiscal.