§ MR. ROUND (Essex, N.E., Harwich)asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether he could give the House any information respecting the case of the 11 fishing smacks, chiefly belonging to the River Colne, detained at Havre for nearly a week; what charge was brought against them; and, what steps Her Majesty's Government were taking in the matter?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Sir JAMES FERGUSSON) (Manchester, N.E.)Certain English fishing smacks entered the port of Havre to pass there Sunday, the 5th instant. By the Convention of 1843, regulating fishing in the British Channel, British fishing boats are only allowed to enter French ports in bad weather. The weather was fine on the 5th instant, and therefore these fishermen acted against this regulation. We are also informed that these boats are accused of having gathered oysters in French waters, and transferred them to other vessels at sea. It appears that the observance of the rule against entering French ports has not been enforced for several years, and that this presumably has been to the benefit of the provision trade at French ports. The Board of Trade, however, in consequence of this action of the authorities at Havre, will issue a notice to British fishermen not to enter French ports except in stress of weather; and Her Majesty's Minister at Paris has been instructed to take such action as he properly can on behalf of the fishermen in question.