MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)To ask the President of the Board of Trade, has the agreement between His Majesty's Government and Mr. Pierpont Morgan's shipping trust, known as the International Mercantile Marine Company, which had been settled by both parties on 23rd February last, now been executed; does this agreement contemplate the retention of a British register and the British flag by ships which have been acquired by and are under the dominion of a foreign corporation; and when does he propose to lay the agreement on the Table of this House.
(Answered by Mr. Gerald Balfour.) The agreement has not yet been executed. The draft is before the Company for final consideration, and I hope that my expectation as to the document being ready for execution before Easter may be realised. I must refer the hon. Member; to my answer to his previous Question of 23rd March for the reply to the other points raised by his Question.†