§ Mr. BOWLESasked the Secretary of State for. Foreign Affairs whether the statement in paragraph 18 of his instructions to Lord Desart of 1st December, 1908, published on page 25 of Cd. 4554, of 1909, that His Majesty's Government are now desirous of limiting as much as possible the right to seize for contraband, if not eliminating it altogether, is there correctly reported; and, if so, do His Majesty's Government propose to retain the prohibition to British subjects to trade with, and so to assist, His Majesty's enemies in time of war?
§ Mr. T. McKINNON WOODThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I would refer the hon. Member to paragraphs 25 to 31 of the instructions to Sir Edward Fry of 12th June, 1907 (see Command Paper 3857, pages 16 1140 and 17). The question of prohibiting British subjects from trading with the enemy stands on an entirely different footing to that of preventing the contraband trade between neutrals and the enemy, and is not affected by the Declaration of London. His Majesty's Government have no intention of altering the British practice on this point.
§ Mr. REESWhat advantage accrues to the greatest of Naval Powers by accepting any such condition as this?
§ Mr. SPEAKERSurely that is purely a matter of argument. It is too big a question to ask at Question Time.