§ MR. HAVELOCK WILSON (Middlesbrough)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been called to the imprisonment of all English seaman named A. Shelley, of the steamship Newcastle, at Bilbao, and if he is aware of the fact that the man Shelley has been waiting in prison seven months for his trial; if his attention has been directed to the fact that the other two seamen who were arrested with Shelley for the same alleged offence have been liberated through the influence of the American and Swedish Consul; if he is aware that the English inhabitants of Bilbao have repeatedly called the attention of the British Consul and Vice Consul to the fact that this seaman has been kept in prison for so many mouths without trial, the alleged offence against Shelley and the other seamen being, "That whilst under the influence of drink they had an altercation with the Spanish police," and that the British Consul and the Vice Consul have repeatedly refused to secure the release of the man Shelley, or to insist upon the Spanish Authorities bringing, him to trial in order that the alleged offence might be inquired into; mid if he will at once take steps to secure the release of one of Her Majesty's subjects who has suffered so many months' imprisonment without trial, whilst subjects of other nations, through the care and interference of their Consuls, have been released for the same alleged offence, and are now taking steps against 395 the Spanish Government for false imprisonment?
§ *SIR E. GREYThis is the first time that the attention of the Foreign Office has been called to this case. Inquiry will be made at once by cable.