HC Deb 03 March 1904 vol 131 c54
*MR. AINSWORTH

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is prepared to employ a sufficient number of gunboats or other suitable vessels to patrol the fishing grounds of the United Kingdom and to prevent the infringement of the three-mile limit.

MR. PRETYMAN

It is not possible to detail any vessels for the sole duty of patrolling the coasts of the United Kingdom in order to prevent the infringement of the three-mile limit, but there are a considerable number of gunboats and Coastguard cruisers which combine this work with their other necessary duties.