§ MR. EDWARD HARRINGTON (Kerry, S.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether any complaints have reached him personally or through the Board of Trade that the three mile off-shore limit is constantly invaded by French fishing boats nearBere-haven and on the adjacent Kerry Coast; and whether he would deem it desirable, in the interests of the local fishermen, whose boats are not so numerously manned, to send a gunboat to cruise in those fishing waters to prevent possible injustice to them?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Lord G. HAMILTON,) Middlesex, EalingNo complaints have been received at the Admiralty of any encroachments by French fishing boats on the coast of Kerry. The coastguard cruiser Flora is now cruising off the south-west coast of Ireland for the protection of the fisheries, and would, as a matter of course, extend her range of action to include the fishing grounds on the coast of Kerry if the proceedings of French fishermen rendered it necessary.
§ MR. E. HARRINGTONIs it a sailing cutter or a gunboat?
§ LORD G. HAMILTONA sailing cutter.
§ MR. E. HARRINGTONIs it not the fact that a gunboat was stationed for three years in Bantry Bay for the use of a Resident Magistrate; and, if so, why should a gunboat not be considered necessary now?
§ [No answer.]
1263§ DR. TANNERWhat is the name of the cutter? Is it the same cutter that was stationed for a long time at Queens-town?
§ [No answer.]