Colonel L. WARD(by Private Notice) asked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to the loss of the British trawler "Magneta"; whether this vessel was arrested by a Russian warship outside the three-mile limit, taken into port and ordered to anchor; whether the captain asked leave to change his 867 position, as the anchorage was unsafe, and permission was refused, with the result that the vessel drove ashore during the night and became a total wreck, 10 of the crew being drowned; and what steps His Majesty's Government intend to take in the matter?
Mr. HARMSWORTHI would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given to the hon. and gallant Member for Hull on the 1st instant, to which I have not at present anything to add.
Colonel WARDAs the hon. Gentleman has been aware of this outrage for the past seven days, may I press for an Answer to the last part of my question?
§ Mr. SPEAKERWhen I received the hon. and gallant Gentleman's question, I had an idea that I had seen it before, but I was not at the moment able to verify the reference. As an answer has been given already, I ought not to have allowed the question to be asked to-day for the second time.