§ 24. Mr. MIDDLEMOREasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is able to confirm the statements made officially in Petrograd and to furnish any details regarding the torpedoing of a large German cruiser in the Baltic by a British submarine during the week ending 22nd August last?
§ The FIRST LORD of the ADMIRALTY (Mr. Balfour)My hon. Friend will probably have seen from an answer given on Tuesday last by my right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary that we feel precluded from giving information about the proceedings of the Russian Fleet beyond that which the Russian Government may think it expedient to publish in the Press. He will realise that the British submarines which have done such excellent service in the Baltic are not an independent force, but are acting under the command of the Russian admiral.