§ Mr. LLOYDasked what steps are being taken by His Majesty's Government to safeguard British rights in Tripoli?
§ Sir E. GREYHis Majesty's Government have no reason to suppose that British rights in Tripoli are being jeopardised. The Italian Government have announced their intention to protect foreign subjects in Tripoli by all available means.
Mr. MARK SYKESAre the capitulation rights enjoyed by British subjects under the Ottoman Empire still enjoyed by them in those parts of Tripoli which are occupied by the Italian troops?
§ Sir E. GREYWhere there is a state of war at present existing it is difficult to say what treaty rights are while war is actually going on. We are not admitting in any way that any treaty rights we have in Tripoli are permanently impaired by anything that is taking place at the present moment.
Mr. M. SYKESasked whether the Egypto-Tripolitan frontier has been completely delimitated; and, if so, when this was done?
§ Sir E. GREYThe answer is in the negative.
Mr. M. SYKESasked whether His Majesty's Government will approve of the Italian Government establishing navigation laws which would prevent shipments from Italian to Tripolitan ports (and vice versâ) being carried in any but Italian ships?
§ Sir E. GREYThis question is a hypothetical question that has not yet arisen, and with which it is impossible to deal at present.
§ Mr. GRETTONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has any official information showing that British subjects were killed and wounded during the bombardment of Benghazi by the Italian fleet, and, if so, how many; if application was made by or on behalf of British subjects at Benghazi for their removal by the British or Italian authorities before the bombardment, and if any of them were removed; and if there was any British ship, either naval or mercantile, at Benghazi to render assistance to British subjects?
§ Sir E. GREYHis Majesty's Government are informed that, during the bombardment of Benghazi, eight Maltese British subjects were killed by falling masonry. A shell struck the British Consulate, but the British Consul has telegraphed that commercial interests did not suffer any serious damage in consequence of the bombardment. So far as His Majesty's Government are aware, no application for removal was made by British subjects. No British naval ship was present, and so far as we are aware no British mercantile ship.
§ Mr. LEACHasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will use his good offices and the influence of the United Kingdom to put a stop to the killing of Arabs, men, women, and children, by the Italians at Tripoli?
§ Sir E. GREYThe military operations of the Italian Government in Tripoli are a matter in which His Majesty's Government cannot interfere, and any other attitude would not be consistent with the Declaration of Neutrality that they have issued. I understand that the statement implied in the question has been denied on the highest authority, and I must earnestly deprecate the putting of questions on the Notice Paper of the House of Commons in a form that must be offensive to other Governments.
Mr. MARK SYKESasked whether His Majesty's Government have any information regarding the resumption of lighthouse services in the Ægean and Red Seas; and, if so, whether the resumption is total or partial?
§ Sir E. GREYWe have been in constant communication for some time with both the Italian and Turkish Governments on the question in order to secure the restoration of the lights. Orders were given on 21st October by the Italian Government to relight the Italian Red Sea lights that had been extinguished; but the Turkish Government have not yet seen their way to restore their lights without an understanding as to the neutralisation of the Red Sea. I am still in communication with the Government at Constantinople.
§ Mr. BECKETTHaving in view the forthcoming progress of the Royal yacht through the Red Sea, will the right hon. Gentleman see his way to make any special representation on the subject?
§ Sir E. GREYI would ask for notice.
§ Mr. DILLONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the accounts of the sack of Tripoli and the bombardment of Benghazi; whether he has received any official information giving authentic particulars of those transactions, and, if so, whether he will immediately communicate such information to the House; and, if he has not received official accounts of these events, whether he will telegraph to the British Consuls asking for full and detailed reports?
§ Sir E. GREYHis Majesty's Government have received no information to show that since the outbreak of hostilities between Italy and Turkey any event has occurred that can be described as a sack of Tripoli. With regard to Benghazi, I would refer to the reply returned to the hon. Member for Rutland. His Majesty's Government are kept informed of the course of events in Tripoli and Cyrenaica by His Majesty's Consuls in Tripoli and Benghazi, but I cannot undertake to give information except when British subjects are concerned.
§ Mr. DILLONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when the Italian Government communicated to the British Government its intention of seizing Tripoli; whether the British Government assented to this enterprise or addressed any remonstrance to the Italian Government; and whether he will lay upon the Table any communications which have passed between the two Governments referring to the Italian expedition to Tripoli?
§ Sir E. GREYThe first communication of any intention to seize Tripoli which His Majesty's Government received was the notification of the Declaration of War on 30th September. We at once expressed the intention of issuing a Declaration of Neutrality. As stated last Thursday, I am not prepared to lay Papers at the present time.
§ Mr. DAVID MASONWill the right hon. Gentleman explain to this House how that is consistent with the treaty obligations which this country entered into at The Hague?
§ Sir E. GREYI do not quite see the bearing of that question. We received a notification of a state of war, and we expressed our intention of issuing a Declaration of Neutrality. There is nothing in that, so far as I am aware, contrary to any treaty obligations.
§ Sir W. BYLESIs it not a violation of treaty obligations on the part of Italy?
§ Sir E. GREYPerhaps the hon. Member will give me notice of the actual treaty he refers to.
§ Sir E. GREYI must ask the hon. Member to give notice of questions regarding any treaties.
§ Mr. LANSBURYHave the Government considered the effect upon the poorer population of the various European States of the example set by a civilised Government removing its neighbour's landmarks for no other purpose than the exploitation of a peaceful country and their possessions?
§ Sir E. GREYThe hon. Member is inviting me to make comments upon a state of things with regard to which we have issued a Declaration of Neutrality. Having issued that, no good purpose would be served by my making comments on a war in respect of which we have expressed our intention of being neutral.
§ Mr. DAVID MASONI wish to ask a question of which I have given private notice. What action does His Majesty's Government intend to take to express the horror and detestation which this House feels at the recent reported massacre of Arabs by Italians in Tripoli?
§ The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Asquith)I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for the Colne Valley Division. To that answer I have nothing to add, except that questions of such a character ought not to be asked or answered on private notice.
§ Mr. D. MASONArising out of that reply, is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the answer given earlier referred to the denial by the Italian Embassy, containing the following sentence:—
Those who during the fighting or immediately afterwards were found with arms in their hands were shot.And whether, according to Article 3 of The Hague Convention, the armed forces of the belligerent parties may consist of combatants and non-combatants? I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he is aware of that fact?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI have nothing to add to what I have already said, except to repeat that I deprecate in the strongest possible way such questions on private notice.
§ Mr. D. MASONMay I ask, Mr. Speaker, if I am in order—having regard to the fact that all the time of this House has been allocated to the Government—in giving notice of a Resolution of Protest which I shall propose to this House?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member is certainly entitled to give notice of any Motion he wishes to bring forward, or put it upon the Paper.
§ Mr. D. MASONHaving regard to your ruling, Sir, and regarding this as a matter of very urgent importance, I beg to move the Adjournment of the House.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member has forgotten the Resolution which forbids any Motion for the Adjournment of the House.