1 and 2. Mr. SHIRLEY BENNasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) if the British Consuls in Italy have reported that grain shipped in British vessels to Italy under a guarantee that it is for consumption in Italy has been discharged into German wagons; and (2) if the British Consuls in Italy have reported that the cargoes of ships discharging at Italian ports for the Swiss Government with the Government seal on their papers have been loaded in German wagons?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir Edward Grey)Reports have from time to time been received that cargoes for Italy and Switzerland are being discharged into German trucks. But we are assured by the Italian and Swiss authorities that a certain number of German trucks are normally circulating on the Italian and Swiss railways, and represent an equivalent number of Italian and Swiss trucks on the German railways. The use of German trucks does not, therefore, in itself indicate that the goods are intended for Germany.