§ MR. HANBURY (Preston)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies if he can name any English vessels subsidised by any foreign Power which are commanded and officered by officers of the Navy, and properly armed for service with their guns on Board ready for mounting, as are the foreign mail steamers subsidised by the Mauritius Government; if so, what is the amount of the subsidy; and what other Colonies subsidise foreign steamers so officered and armed?
§ MR. S. BUXTONWithout admitting the correctness of the hon. Member's assumption in regard to the mail steamers subsidised by the Mauritius Government, the answer, as far as I am aware, is in the negative. In regard to the second part of the hon. Member's question, I am unaware of any subsidy paid by any Colonial Government to foreign steamers officered and armed as assumed in the first question.