§ MR. CLAUDE HAY (Shoreditch, Hoxton)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs upon what date His Majesty's Government suggested arbitration at The Hague in respect of the "Knight Commander."
§ SIR EDWARD GREYThe proposal was made in a note which, in pursuance of instructions, His Majesty's Ambassador at St. Petersburg addressed to the Russian Government on the 19th of September last.
§ MR. CLAUDE HAYI beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if any claims of British shipowners, in respect of ships sunk, damaged or delayed by the Russian fleet or volunteer crusiers during the recent Russo-Japanese war, are still outstanding; and if he will give the names of the ships involved.
MR. CLEMENT EDWARDS (Denbigh District)At the same time I will ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is now in a position to make any statement as to the present state of negotiations with the Russian Government in reference to the matter of compensation to the owners of British ships sunk by Russian ships of war during the Russo-Japanese war.
§ SIR EDWARD GREYI beg to refer the hon. Members to the Answer I gave on 17th May last, to the hon. Member for King's Lynn, in which I enumerated the eases which were then pending, † Since that date, in consequence of the Russian Government's having refused to reconsider the claim advanced on behalf of those concerned in the destruction of the "Knight Commander," His Majesty's Government have proposed, as the hon. Member is aware, that the case should be re-
† See (4) Debates, clvii., 643.1006 ferred to arbitration at The Hague. As regards the "Allanton," the Russian Government have also again refused to entertain the claim advanced for compensation in respect of the seizure and detention of that vessel, and after careful consideration with their legal advisers, His Majesty's Government have decided that there are insufficient grounds for further pressing the claim, and the partieis concerned have accordingly been so informed. In the ease of the "Cilurnum," the Prize Court at Libau on 22nd August last, decided that the jettisoning of some cargo she earned was in order, in consequence of its contraband character. The parties interested did not, however, enter an appearance at these proceedings, and have intimated that they do not desire to take any steps with a view to appealing against this decision. The remaining cases which I specified in May are either still forming the subject of correspondence between the two Governments, or are shortly expected to come before the Libau Prize Court.