Mr. GEORGE H. FABERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether in any one single instance the Russian Government has indemnified a British shipowner for the sinking of his vessel by Russian warships during the war in the Far East; whether the one German owner who suffered under similar circumstances received full compensation nearly two years ago; and whether our Government indemnified at once every German shipowner whose vessel was delayed by our action during the Boer War?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. McKinnon Wood)In the cases of the "St. Kilda" and "Ikhona" the Supreme Prize Court at St. Petersburg has decided that the owners of these vessels are entitled to compensation. As regards the "Ikhona" the Libau Prize Court has assessed the compensation at, roughly, £62,000, but the Russian Government have intimated that, in view of an appeal which has been lodged in respect of a small portion of the claim, no payment can be made until after the appeal has been heard. The Libau Court will no doubt assess the damages to be paid in the case of the "St. Kilda" in due course. With respect to the German case to which the hon. Member alludes, I have no information as to the actual payment of compensation. As regards the latter portion of the question, the German vessels alluded to were detained during the months of December, 1899, and January, 1900, and compensation was paid to the German Government in September, 1900.