§ 2. Mr. FIELDasked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he has read a report of a meeting held in the Mansion House, Dublin, respecting food supplies in Ireland and the necessity of providing protection for the seamen and ships engaged in cross - Channel transit; and what arrangements are being made to ensure greater safety?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the ADMIRALTY (Dr. Macnamara)I received from my hon. Friend a copy of a resolution passed at a meeting in the Mansion House, Dublin. As regards the second part of the question, it is manifestly impossible to state what are the measures taken for the safety of this traffic; but the most careful attention Is devoted to this question, and all available forces are used to safeguard the traffic in the Irish Sea.
§ Mr. FIELDAm I to understand that the arrangements made will include protection for the mail steamers and the people travelling on them?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI do not know whether the hon. Gentleman desires me to say that we can undertake to give absolute immunity. All we can do is to give every possible protection with the means at our disposal. I shall be dealing with this subject at a meeting on Monday, when I propose to enter more fully into the facts and explain more than is possible now what the means of protection are.