§ 52. Sir A. MARKHAMasked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been given to a letter published by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in the daily Press of 26th August, wherein, adverting to the German Chancellor's claim of the freedom of the seas, it is stated that freedom of the sea may be a very reasonable subject for discussion, definition, and agreement between nations after this War; and whether it is the intention of His Majesty's Government to entertain after this War proposals similar to those embodied in the Declaration of London, or in any of those Hague Conventions which have failed to obtain the necessary authority of Parliament?
§ The PRIME MINISTERAny discussion on this matter would be premature. My hon. Friend does not seem to have noticed that my right hon. Friend said that this matter might be a subject for discussion after the War in connection with guarantees against war in general and German methods of war in particular. If my right hon. Friend's remarks are to be quoted at all, the whole sentence should be quoted, and if the meaning is not clear to the hon. Member he should address a question to my right hon. Friend.