§ 4. Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked the Secretary for Foreign Affairs whether, now that there is no longer war between Italy and Turkey and the lights in the Red Sea are again being re-lit, he will endeavour to make arrangements with the 1410 Governments of the countries concerned to see that in any future trouble such important lights may not again be extinguished?
§ Sir E. GREYIt would be a very difficult matter to ensure that no lights should ever be extinguished in time of war, but we shall in the interests of commerce do what can be done to ensure that there is as little interference as possible.
§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSWill the right hon. Gentleman, having regard to the inconvenience caused commercially during the Turco-Italian war, consider whether there is any possibility of making representations before a war begins—or of calling a conference?
§ Sir E. GREYIt is always possible to make representations, but the question is whether a request to belligerents to restrict their operations in case of war would have any effect. I doubt whether any conference could draw up binding resolutions which would prevent belligerents taking action they thought to be necessary in their own interests when war broke out.