§ MR. HAVELOCK WILSON (Middlesbrough)To ask the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been called to the attempted escape from the British steamer "Strathyre" at the port of New York of twenty-five Chinese sailors and firemen; whether he is aware that two of these Chinamen were drowned as a consequence of their attempt to escape; whether he will cause a public inquiry to be held to ascertain if the Chinamen in question had been subjected to ill-usage; whether he has any official reports snowing that twenty-three of these Chinamen are being deported to Liverpool on the steamship "Lusitania"; and, if so, whether he will insist on the owners of the steamer "Strathyre" paying the expenses of deporting these twenty-three Chinamen to their homes in China.
(Answered by Mr. Churchill). My attention has been called to the case referred to by my hon. friend, and I am aware that two of the Chinese seamen were drowned in consequence of an attempt to escape from the steamship. I understand that an inquiry into the case has been instituted by the New York authorities, and as soon as I am acquainted with its result I will consider whether any further action is called for. Three of the Chinamen have been detained in connection with the New York inquiry, but the remaining twenty have 1453 been sent to Liverpool on the steamship "Lusitania." Without further information as to the conditions under which the seamen have been sent to this country, I am unable to say whether the owners can be required to repatriate the men to China. They will, however, be called upon to pay any expenses to which they may be liable.