§ 35. Mr. YERBURGHasked the Prime Minister whether the hospital ship "Asturias" was attacked by the torpedo of a German submarine off Havre on the 25th January, 1915; whether two British merchant ships were torpedoed without warning by a German submarine off the North-West coast of France on the 30th January; whether it is now the avowed policy of the German Admiralty to torpedo merchant ships wherever met with in British waters without warning; and whether, in view of the acts which have been committed and the policy now announced, His Majesty's Government will consider the desirability of issuing a Proclamation declaring that the crews of German vessels which may be captured where engaged in operations which contravene the rules of civilised warfare will be treated as criminals and not as prisoners of war?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe facts are correctly stated in the first three parts of the question. As regards the last part, I must refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to the Noble Lord the Member for Portsmouth on 22nd February.