§ LORD CHARLES BERESFORD (York)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether British subjects in Batavia are compelled to serve in the Dutch army for the defence of the island of Java; whether any nation has a right to impress British subjects for military or naval service of any description; and whether such service is in conformity with the Foreign Enlistment Act of 1870.
§ * THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. BRODRICK,) Surrey, Guildford171 The question of the liability of British subjects to serve in the militia of the Dutch East India possessions has arisen on several occasions, and it has been decided that, in the absence of treaty stipulations to the contrary, they are liable, unless it can be shown that foreigners of any other nationality are relieved from that obligation. Within the limitations explained in the answer to the first paragraph of the question, any nation has a right to call upon resident foreigners for service. Such service by a British subject would not be, on his part, a violation of the provisions of the Foreign Enlistment Act.