§ SIR HENRY TYLER (Great Yarmouth)I beg to ask the lion. Gentleman the Secretary to the Board of Trade, Whether he can give any information as regards the fresh outrage reported in this morning's papers by the Belgian trawler No. 199 on the Lowestoft smack Trio; and also if he can give any further information with, respect to previous occurrences? The following is the statement:—
The Trio had her two lights burning as usual, and the moon was shining brightly. Notwithstanding this, the foreigner, which proved to be the trawler O. 199, deliberately sailed across the nets of the Trio. The crew of the latter protested loudly; but the Ostender paid no attention to their complaints, and only vouchsafed a volley of abusive expressions. On taking up their nets, the crew of the Trio found that 65 of them were missing, the pecuniary loss being between £60 and £70. The outrage occurred about 15 miles south-east of Southwold.
§ THE SECRETARY (Baron HENRY DE WORMS) (Liverpool, East Toxteth)In answer to my hon. Friend, I have to say that a statement of the master and crew of the fishing boat Trio has been received; and the Board of Trade have forwarded it to the Foreign Office, with a request that a representation may at once be made to the Belgian Government on the subject.