§ MR. ANSTRUTHERIn the absence of the hon. Member for the Partick Division, I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to the statement that the Liverpool steamer Nasmyth, now detained at Rio, having run out of fresh water, her captain applied to the Commander of the British Squadron for escort in carrying water to his vessel but was refused, and thereupon the United States Commander sent his steam launch as escort, and under the protection of the United States flag the Nasmyth obtained the necessary supplies; why the British Commander did not give protection under such circumstances to the British ship; and whether he will 1133 send instructions to the British Commander that such protection shall be given in future?
§ SIR E. GREYThe statement referred to was brought to the notice of Her Majesty's Government by the Clyde Sailing Shipowners' Association in the form of extracts from American newspapers, but no confirmation of such a report has been received from any other quarter, and it is desirable, more especially in the case of news which does not reach us direct from Rio, to receive more certain information before giving implicit credence to what is reported in the Press. The instructions to Her Majesty's Representatives at Rio would certainly cover such a case as that referred to. I have to add that, in view of the outbreak of yellow fever, the senior naval officer has thought it imperative, on the ground of health, to reduce the number of British warships in the harbour, and that for the same reason all the other foreign warships have left except those of the United States and one Portuguese. As long as the present conflict continues the officers and crews of merchant vessels sent to Rio run the risk of great delay in discharging their cargoes, and of very serious exposure to the fever.