§ MR. NANNETTITo ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can state under what circumstances the crew of the British steamer "Franklyn" were sentenced to ten weeks imprisonment by the magistrate at Hong-Kong for refusing to carry Welsh steam coal, contraband of war, to a Japanese port; whether he is aware these men were handcuffed and 1439 marched through the streets of Hong-Kong; that they have suffered the whole of their sentence, being fed during the first seven days on bread and water, am afterwards on what is known as No. 2 prison diet; if he can state whether the circumstances have been reported to the Colonial Office; and whether facilities were offered the men to appeal to a superior Court in Hong-Kong against their conviction.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Lyttelton.) I have no information on the subject, but am asking the Governor of Hong-Kong for a full report on the facts of the case.