HC Deb 23 August 1889 vol 340 cc246-8
SIR GEORGE BADEN-POWELL (Liverpool, Kirkdale)

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give the House any further information as to the Maritime Conference proposed to be held at Washington; and whether he can now state the names of the Representatives of this country at that Conference?

THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Sir M. HICKS) BEACH, Bristol, W.

Her Majesty's Govern- ment have accepted the invitation of the President of the United States to send Representatives to the International Maritime Conference to be held at Washington in October. The delegates selected to represent this country are:—Mr. Charles Hall, Q.C., M.P., two Representatives selected by the Admiralty, namely, Admiral Sir R. Molyneux, K.C.B., and Admiral Bowden Smith, and four Representatives selected by the Board of Trade, namely, Admiral Sir George Nares, K.C.B., Mr. Thomas Gray, C.B., Assistant Secretary of the Marine Department, Captain H. Wyatt (of the Peninsular and Oriental Service) and Captain Kendal (of the City of Dublin Steam Packet Company), who has a large experience of navigation in narrow and crowded waters. The delegates sent by Great Britain will not have power to bind Her Majesty's Government. Any proposals which the British delegates may make, and any action which the Conference may adopt or recommend, will, in the usual course, be ad referendum only for the consideration of the Governments represented. When the Conference assembles, the British delegates will indicate the reserves which Her Majesty's Government think it their duty to make with regard to certain subjects which appear in the latter portion of the programme.

MR. CHANNING (Northampton, E.)

Has the right hon. Gentleman considered the desirability of appointing among the Representatives some captain who has had special experience of the Atlantic service?

SIR M. HICKS BEACH

I did my best to obtain the services of some gentleman who had been employed in the way suggested by the hon. Member, and I invited, among others, a gentleman whose name is well-known to him. I was, however, unable to obtain the services of anyone who had been accustomed to that class of navigation. Captain Wyatt has, I believe, had great experience of ocean navigation.

MR. SHAW LEFEVRE (Bradford, Central)

Will the Conference be entitled to consider the question of crimes at sea?

SIR M. HICKS BEACH

That is entirely beyond the province of the Conference.

MR. T. M. HEALY

Why, after his recent experience in crossing the ocean, was not the right hon. Member for Birmingham (Mr. Chamberlain) appointed?

MR. SPEAKER

Order, order!