§ Mr. BUTCHERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he would state by what method of procedure he proposes to make it a condition of the ratification of the Declaration of London that the general report of the grafting committee shall be treated by all the signatory Powers as an authoritative interpretation of the provisions of the Declaration, and that the word enemy (l'ennemi) in Article 34 of the Declaration shall be taken by all the signatory Powers to mean the enemy Government and not the enemy people; whether he intends to ask for the express consent of all the signatory Powers to such conditions; and, if not, by what means he proposes to make such conditions binding on the signatory Powers?
§ Sir E. GREYI propose to ask the signatory Powers to remove any doubt on these points by expressing an affirmative opinion.
§ Mr. BUTCHERasked the right hon. Gentleman whether he can give any explanation or definition of the meaning of the words, base of operations or of supply, which are used in the General Report of the Drafting Committee in connection with the interpretation of Article 34 of the Declaration of London; whether he proposes to ask the signatory Powers for any explanation or definition of these words; and whether he proposes to inform the signatory Powers of the meaning attached to these words by His Majesty's Government, and to ask thorn whether they agree with His Majesty's Government as to such meaning?
§ Sir E. GREYI cannot add to what was said in the Debate as to the definition of the words; nor can I make any further statement, as to the course which His Majesty's Government may take.
§ Mr. BUTCHERIn view of the great difference of opinion expressed in the Debate as to the meaning of the words "base of operations or of supply," will the right hon. Gentleman ask foreign Governments as to their definition?
§ Sir E. GREYI am considering that point.
§ Mr. BUTCHERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in order to illustrate the meaning of the words in Article 34 of the Declaration of London, a place serving as a base for the armed forces of the enemy, he would state what 941 ports in Great Britain could not, in the view of His Majesty's Government, be regarded as places serving as bases for the armed forces of this country?
§ Sir E. GREYIt is not possible to give a list of ports in advance; it would depend upon the facts at the time.
§ Mr. BUTCHERWill the right hon. Gentleman state any one or more ports which could not come within the definition at present?
§ Sir E. GREYNo commercial ports which are not serving as bases of supply would come within the definition.
§ Mr. YERBURGHIs it not the case that in the event of war, under the Declaration of London, it will not be the British Government that will decide what is a base of supply, but it will be left to the enemy?
§ Sir E. GREYAt present belligerents decide for themselves, without any definition, but under the Declaration of London there will be a definition by which those belligerents who have signed the Declaration will be bound. How they interpret that definition is of course a matter which rests with the belligerents themselves?
§ Mr. BUTCHERWill the right hon. Gentleman name one port in the United Kingdom which could not at present be regarded as a base of supply?
§ Sir E. GREYNone of the great commercial food ports of the United Kingdom could be regarded as bases of supply, because they are not bases of supply.
§ Mr. BUTCHERMay I ask for one by name?
§ Sir E. GREYIt would be much more to the point if the hon. Member would ask what ports could come within the definition of base of supply. I could give an answer to that, and all others would be outside it.
§ Mr. BUTCHERCan the right hon. Gentleman really not answer my question and name one port in the United Kingdom which could not be regarded as a base of supply within the meaning of the Declaration?
§ Sir E. GREYThere are a number of ports—Liverpool, Glasgow, Bristol, and any number of our great commercial ports.