§ Mr. BUTCHERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to a statement by Lord Desart, on 13th March last, in which, referring to the General Report of the Drafting Committee to the recent Naval Conference, generally known as M. Renault's Report, and so referred to in the letter of the British delegates to Sir Edward Grey of 1st March, 1909, Lord Desart stated that this Report would, according to the practice of Continental courts, be accepted as an authoritative commentary, but in English and American courts such a document might not be accepted as authoritative; and whether, in view of this statement by His Majesty's plenipotentiary at the Naval Conference, the Government still adhere to the view that the Report in question must be accepted by the English and American courts as an authoritative interpretation of the text of the Declaration of London?
§ Mr. ILLINGWORTHI must once more point out to the hon. Member that it is misleading to describe the Report of the Drafting Committee of the Naval Conference as Monsieur Renault's Report, and that it is not, so far as I am aware, generally known as such. My attention has been called to the statement by the Earl of Desart which is quoted in the hon. Member's question, but I shall be glad if he will give me notice of the precise words to which he refers as indicating the view of His Majesty's Government, and also the occasion when they were used.
§ Mr. BUTCHERIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the Report of the Drafting Committee is referred to in a letter of the British delegates to Sir Edward Grey of 1st March, 1909, as M. Renault's General Report?
§ Mr. ILLINGWORTHNo. I will ascertain for the information of the hon. Gentleman.