§ 14. Sir J. BUTCHERasked the President of the Board of Trade whether any ex-German ships allotted to this country by the Reparations Commission, and announced to be available for British and Allied nations only, have been sold to German ownership through a German 872 broker; and whether he will give particulars of these sales, the names of the broker and purchasers, and the reason for so selling the ships?
§ Mr. BALDWINThe sales of ex-German ships are being conducted by Lord Inchcape on behalf of the Reparation Commission, but I understand that 10 ex-enemy ships, nine of which had been advertised for sale on the British market, have been sold to Mr. Sloman of Hamburg, the brokers being Messrs. Arthur Capel and Company. These were 10 special ships which had been engaged continuously in the Baltic on repatriation work under the auspices of the League of Nations. They flew the German flag and carried German officers and crews, and had never been placed on the British register. No satisfactory offers for any of these ships were received from any British firm.
§ Sir J. BUTCHERWhy were they not kept at their present duties and then offered for sale along with the rest of the ex-enemy ships?
§ Mr. BALDWINThey were not released until the particular work they were busy with was completed.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. and gallant Gentleman had better put a question down.
§ Sir J. BUTCHERWhy was it necessary to sell these ships before the duties to which they were assigned were finished; why did they not wait till the duties were finished?
§ Mr. BALDWINWe wanted to get the best price we could. They fetched very much better prices; and prices of ships have been falling every day since.
§ Sir J. BUTCHERWas the Chamber of Shipping consulted?
§ Sir R. THOMASAre there not more ships in this country than we can usefully employ, and is it not well to dispose of the ships we do not want?