§ 12. Commander BELLAIRSasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, under the agreement with Sweden which Has released the Allied shipping in the Baltic, including 90,000 tons tied up in the Gulf of Bot' nia, the Swedish channel to the Sound is to be permanently open for the use of merchant ships; and whether Sweden obtained the release of her shipping detained in British harbours in return?
§ Lord R. CECILThe agreement with Sweden was limited to the British vessels which were in the Baltic at this time. His Majesty's Government maintain their claim that the passage of the Sound should be free to ships under any flag. Under the specific agreement His Majesty's Government undertook to release fourteen vessels from United Kingdom ports and to give facilities at Halifax for nineteen Swedish grain ships from American ports.