§ Mr. HUNTasked how a foreign Power with which we were at war could know that there were no armed forces of any kind at any port in Great Britain; and, failing such definite knowledge, would not a foreign Power be justified in treating any port as a base of supply for our armed forces?
§ Mr. ACLANDThe hon. Member suggests that an enemy might treat any British port as a base of supply for our armed forces, regardless of whether there are in fact any armed forces to supply or not. This is not a proposition to which His Majesty's Government can subscribe.
§ Mr. HUNTCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether foreign Powers would 8 not take that view, in case there might be armed forces in the port?
§ Mr. ACLANDWe believe foreign Powers, like ourselves, would be sensible enough not to make an interpretation which is not within the meaning of the words to which they have agreed.
§ Mr. HUNTasked whether there is any port in Great Britain where foodstuffs are landed at which any of our warships have not or might not call for supplies of some sort; and could an enemy fairly claim under the Declaration of London that all these ports were therefore all bases of supply for our naval forces?
§ Mr. ACLANDThe answer is in the negative.
§ Mr. HUNTasked whether the Foreign Secretary has obtained any definite assurance from any foreign Power which has signed the Declaration of London that it will place upon Articles 34 and 35 the same construction which he puts upon them himself; and, if not, what security has this country under the Declaration of London that there is any port in the United Kingdom which receives foodstuffs capable of being forwarded inland by rail, and therefore to our armed forces, and which therefore may not be construed by an enemy with whom we were at war as a base of supply?
§ Mr. ACLANDIt has already been explained more than once that the Articles are not open to the interpretation which the hon. Member desires to place upon them. If His Majesty's Government were not convinced that this view was shared by all the Signatories of the Declaration, they would not have advised its ratification. It has also often been pointed out that previous to the Declaration of London no security such as the hon. Member desires has existed.
§ Mr. HUNTMay I ask whether, in view of the fact that the Secretary of State cannot guarantee that any port in the United Kingdom would not be considered a base of supply, is it not time that the right hon. Gentleman should acknowledge he has made a mistake, in order to save us from starvation in time of war?
§ Mr. ACLANDI think the hon. Gentleman had better put down yet another question on the matter.