Captain FABERasked whether the Turkish Government authorised the passage of vessels laden with grain through the Dardanelles provided that such vessels were not bound for any Italian port; and whether this would hold good as regards all English ports if we were at war?
§ Mr. ACLANDThe conditions under which neutral vessels carrying grain cargoes and bound for Italian ports were allowed by the Ottoman Authorities to pass through the Dardanelles were set out in a notice published in the "London Gazette" of the 17th ultimo, to which I would beg to refer the hon. and gallant Member. I have since learned from His Majesty's Ambassador at Constantinople that the Porte have issued a fresh notice, the terms of which will be found in the "London Gazette" of yesterday, from which it appears that all foodstuffs are excluded from the list of contraband articles. I cannot answer the hypothetical question contained in the last paragraph. It would presumably depend on what State this country might be at war with, and what international obligations might be in force at the time.
Captain FABERWould every port in the United Kingdom be open to wheat, or would the base of operations be excluded?
§ Mr. ACLANDThat does not arise.