MR. CARVELL WILLIAMS (Notts, Mansfield)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty if he will lay upon the Table of the House any instructions which have been issued to officers of Her Majesty's Navy to refrain from exercising the right of search and seizure of vessels suspected of being engaged in slave trading in Madagascar waters?
SIR U. KAY-SHUTTLEWORTHThis subject has already been explained by answers given in this House on Friday and Saturday by my hon. Friend the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. It is not thought necessary to lay the naval officers' instructions on the Table. But I can inform my hon. Friend the Member for the Mansfield Division that they were to the effect that, the protectorate and consequent control of France over the territorial waters of Madagascar having been recognised, naval officers must refrain from interference with vessels of any nationality in Madagascar waters.