§ Mr. DOUGLAS HALLasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the danger to British shipping by reason of many of the lights for the guidance of shipping in the Mediterranean and Red Sea having been extinguished since the outbreak of the war between Italy and Turkey; and whether the Government will take steps, either by representation to those two countries or by stationing British warships at the most dangerous spots, to minimise the dangers to shipping?
§ Sir E. GREYEvery possible step has been taken to minimise the dangers caused to shipping by the extinction of the lights. 1454 Both His Majesty's Consular officers at ports of call and His Majesty's ships stationed within the sphere of operations have been kept constantly informed by telegraph as to the individual lights extinguished or in working order for the purpose of warning outward and homeward bound British vessels; and the attention of both the Italian and Turkish Governments has been called to the urgent importance to British commerce of maintaining the lights. As stated in my reply of the 2nd instant to the hon. Member for Central Hull, the Italian lights in the Red Sea have been relit; and I have asked the Turkish Government to consider whether they cannot restore such lights as are of importance to through traffic.
§ Mr. DOUGLAS HALLWill the right hon. Gentleman kindly reply to the latter part of my question with reference to stationing warships at the most dangerous points?
§ Sir E. GREYI have been in communication with the Admiralty, and I understand that they are not in the least willing to do that.