§ MR. CHARLES M'ARTHURI beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government have taken any steps, either alone or in conjunction with other neutral Powers, to call the attention of the Russian and Japanese Governments to the extension of articles which have been proclaimed by them respectively to be contraband of war; and whether they have protested, or propose to protest, against the assumption by those Governments that it is for belligerent Powers to declare what articles are or are not contraband of war, without reference to the rights of neutrals.
§ EARL PERCYHis Majesty's Government have instructed His Majesty's Ambassador to lodge a protest with the Russian Government against the inclusion of foodstuffs in the list of articles declared by them to be contraband of war. With regard to the latter portion of the Question, His Majesty's Government do not consider that the present moment is opportune for making a public statement of policy.
§ MR. EMMOTT (Oldham)asked whether the protest applied to cotton, which was also declared to be contraband.
§ EARL PERCYThe protest applies to the inclusion of food. The hon. Member is aware that it was explained that the inclusion of cotton only referred to cotton destined for the manufacture of explosives.