§ MR. MALLET (Plymouth)I beg to ask the Prime Minister whether, in view of the recent vote at the Conference at the Hague in favour of exempting private property from seizure by belligerents at sea, and in view also of the commercial interests in this country which such a decision would protect, His Majesty's-Government will instruct their representatives at the Conference, in future, to support and not to oppose that proposal.
§ SIR EDWARD GREYThe Question of the hon. Member, which presumably relates only to the capture of the property of belligerents, raises one part only of a large question, which cannot be considered apart from such questions as blockade. His Majesty's Government cannot send the instruction suggested.
§ MR. BELLAIRS (Lynn Regis)I beg to ask the Prime Minister, in view of the fact that the entire experience of naval war proves that the destruction of an enemy's transport system and supplies is a most powerful weapon for the purpose of ending a war, whether His Majesty's Government will clearly intimate to the representatives of the Powers at the Hague that this country continues to 133 uphold the policy of the victorious Power at sea being free to blockade its enemy's coasts and to seize all property which is destined for the enemy's territory.
§ SIR EDWARD GREYI must refer to the Answer I gave yesterday to the hon. Member for the Knutsford Division of Cheshire. †