§ MR. ROUND (Essex, N.E., Harwich)asked the under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If he can give any further information to the House as to the cause of the recent detention of Essex fishing vessels at Havre; and, whether there is any ground for the complaint by the French authorities of alleged illegal fishing?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY (Sir JAMES FERGUSSON) (Manchester, N.E.)The Minister of Marine has directed the charge against the smacks to be withdrawn, and has ordered the boats to be released. There does not appear to have been any ground for the statement as to illegal fishing. No further information as to the cause of detention has 601 been received. It would be well to bear in mind that the boats acted contrary to the Convention of 1843 in entering Havre, though the proceedings of the Local Authorities were harsh, considering that the Regulation thus infringed had been allowed to fall, practically, into abeyance.
§ MR. ROUNDasked whether it could not be arranged between the two countries that respectable English fishermen should run no risk of imprisonment when they were compelled to enter French ports for the purpose of obtaining necessary supplies?
§ SIR JAMES FERGUSSON,in reply, said, that the attention of the Secretary of State was being given to this matter.