§ SIR HENRY TYLER (Great Yarmouth)asked the Secretary to the Board of Trade, Whether further outrages to the nets of Yarmouth and other fishermen have recently been brought under Ills notice; and, what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking, or have under consideration, in regard to them?
§ SIR EDWARD BIRKBECK (Norfolk, E.)asked, whether any communication had taken place on the subject between the Board of Trade, the Admiralty, and the Foreign Office since April 12th last, when the Board of Trade were warned that outrages would probably take place within four months from that date.
§ THE SECRETARY (Baron HENRY DE WORMS) (Liverpool, East Toxteth)Yes, Sir; the case of the Thalia, of Yarmouth, has been brought to the notice of the Board of Trade by my hon. Friend, and also by the hon. Baronet the Member for East Norfolk. On receiving these communications, the Board of Trade at once instituted inquiries, and they have forwarded to the Foreign Office the representation of the master and crew of the vessel, with a view to its being investigated by the Belgian Government. In answer to the second Question of the hon. Baronet I have to say that communications have repeatedly been made by the Board of Trade to the Admiralty and the Foreign Office. I cannot give the exact dates, but they are subsequent to that named by the hon. Gentleman.
§ SIR HENRY TYLERasked, what steps had been taken to prevent outrages on English trawlers by Belgian fishermen?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir JAMES FERGUSSON) (Manchester, N.E.)said, that whenever a case of reported outrage by trawlers on British fisheries was communicated to the Foreign Office by the Board of Trade, Her Majesty's Minister at Brussels was immediately requested to bring the matter to the notice of the Belgian Government, and I am bound to say the Belgian Government have shown every disposition to do justice in such matters.