§ MR. HARMOOD-BANNER (Liverpool, Everton)To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is in a position to report any further progress in the negotiations with the Russian Government with reference to the claim of the crew, the owners of the ships and cargo, which were sunk, and for which no compensation has been made; and whether he is aware that the crew have abandoned all hope of their claim being settled by diplomatic negotiations, and are now taking legal proceedings to enforce a claim against the owners of the respective vessels.
(Answered by Secretary Sir Edward Grey..) I beg to refer the hon. Member to the Answer given by me on the 17th of May
† See (4) Debates, clvii., 1072.204 last respecting the British shipping claims. ‡ Since that date, the Russian Government have refused to entertain a claim put forward on behalf of the crew of the "Allanton," on the ground that the Supreme Court decided that the seizure and detention of that vessel was regular and that they were unaware of any grounds either in Russian or International Law on which such claims could be maintained. His Majesty's Government are still in communication with the Russian Government in regard to the cases of the " Knight Commander," " Malacca," and " Calchas." I am not in possession of any precise information as to the position of the legal proceedings referred to in the Question.