MR. DALZIEL&c.) (Kirkcaldy,I beg to ask the Solicitor General whether a British subject swearing allegiance to a Foreign State ipso facto ceases to be a British subject; whether it is in his private capacity as a British subject that the Duke of Saxe-Coburg will receive £10,000 a-year from this country; and whether, in case of war, he could in his Sovereign capacity use this sum against the interests of the country from which he derived it?
§ THE SOLICITOR GENERAL (Sir J. RIGBY, Forfar)As a general rule, No. If a British subject voluntarily becomes naturalised in a Foreign State, he ceases to be a British subject, but naturalisation is not usually effected by taking an Oath of Allegiance, and I am not aware that swearing the Oath of Allegiance to a Foreign State anywhere has that result. As to whether His Royal Highness will receive £10,000 a-year from this country in his private capacity as a British subject, I have to say he will receive it as a persona designata under the Act of Parliament, and the Act does not distinguish the capacity in which he receives it. It is not usual, it appears to me, to answer hypothetical and contingent questions, to which class the third question belongs, and I must decline to answer it.
§ MR. DALZIELI wish to ask the hon. and learned Gentleman whether he is aware that a case exactly on the same basis has already given rise to a grave 441 international difficulty, and whether it would not be wise to have a clear statement of the issue at the present time?
§ SIR J. RIGBYI am not aware of any such case.
§ MR. DALZIELI shall be happy to give the hon. and learned Gentleman information in regard to one.
§ [No answer was given.]