§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY (by Private Notice)asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any information about the reported arrest of the Bull trawler "Lord Astor" while fishing off the Murmansk coast; whether there is any British representative in the district or at Archangel; and whether he will give directions for legal and other assistance to be given to the master and crew?
Captain ARTHUR EVANS (by Private Notice)asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if it is the fact that the Hull trawler "Lord Astor" has been captured outside the three mile limit, and detained together with 13 hands by the Russian authorities, and what action His Majesty's Government propose to take in the matter, and further, whether H.M.S. "Harebell" has been ordered to proceed to the Russian coast in order to protect British fishermen, and whether the officer commanding has received orders to open fire on any Russian ship which interferes with British ships in extraterritorial waters?
§ Lieut.-Colonel ARCHER-SHEEBefore the hon. Gentleman answers that question, may I point out that I gave notice of another question on this matter? Is it a fact that this Russian pirate gunboat pursued two other British trawlers, as well as the one captured?
§ Mr. McNEILLI received no notice of the question put by the hon. and gallant Member for Finsbury (Lieut.-Colonel Archer-Shee). I will answer the other two questions together. His Majesty's Government understand that the "Lord Astor" was captured by a Russian gunboat at 9.30 a.m. on the 7th May, while fishing ten miles off Teriberski on the Murman coast. There is no British representative in the district or at Archangel, but the British Agent at Moscow has been instructed to endeavour to obtain confirmation of the report, when he will enter a strong protest and demand the immediate and unconditional release of the vessel and her crew, and the repatriation of the latter. The provision of legal assistance can, as in previous cases, best be arranged by the owners of the vessel; the British Agent will, of course, furnish 2578 such general assistance as may be in his power H.M.S. "Harebell" is now on her way to take up fishery protection duties in these waters in relief of H.M.S. "Godetia." Her orders are to prevent interference with British vessels outside the three-mile limit, using force if necessary.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODNo more War!
§ Mr. LANSBURYWhy do you not send the Fleet to New York? [HON. MEMBERS: "Order."]
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYrose—
§ Mr. LANSBURYYou are a lot of cowards. You are afraid of America—[An HON. MEMBER: "Go and join the Soviet"]
§ Mr. SPEAKERHon. Members must allow other hon. Members to be heard.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYMay I ask, as there is now railway communication between Petrograd and Murmansk will the right hon. Gentleman send our Consul at Petrograd, to see that these men are properly treated, and to find some means of helping them in their trouble?
Captain A. EVANSBefore the hon. Gentleman replies, will he assure the House that, if the reply from the Soviet authorities be unsatisfactory, every representative of the Soviet Government in this country, official and unofficial, will be immediately expelled?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is an entirely hypothetical question.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYOn a point of Order. My question was not hypothetical, and it was interfered with by the question of the hon. and gallant Member for East Leicester (Captain A. Evans), whose part in the affair I do not understand.
§ Mr. SPEAKERPerhaps the hon. and gallant Member will come to the point, and put his question again.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYI will repeat it. Will the hon. Gentleman send instructions to our Consul at Petrograd, as there is now communication with Murmansk, to send a representative 2579 to see to the treatment of these men, which I think is the most practical way of helping them immediately?
§ Mr. McNEILLI can understand and sympathise with the indignation of the hon. and gallant Member. I cannot state at the moment what steps we can take, but we shall do everything possible to preserve the rights of these men.
§ Lieut.-Colonel ARCHER-SHEEOn a point of Order. I gave notice of a question to the Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, which you, Mr. Speaker, returned to me, on the ground that two other questions had been asked on the same subject. But in my question I asked an entirely separate point, as to whether two other trawlers had also been pursued, and the hon. Member said that, as he had not had notice, he was unable to give the information. I wish to ask whether I was not entitled to put that question, in view of the fact that it raised an entirely different point.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIt is quite true.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. and gallant Member's notice reached me extremely late, and apparently it did not reach the Minister at all. I already had two questions raising the same matter, and really the subject can be raised in the course of the Debate to-day on the Foreign Office Vote.
§ Lieut.-Colonel ARCHER-SHEEI sent the notice, and know that it was delivered before twelve o'clock, both to the Foreign Office and to your house, Mr. Speaker.
§ Mr. SPEAKERPerhaps the hon. and gallant Member will raise it later in the day.
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSI endeavoured to put a question on two or three different occasions, but gave way because of points of Order. Am I now in order in asking the hon. Member representing the Foreign Office whether any international agreement exists with regard to the mileage limits in the region where this ship has or these ships have been captured, and, if not, how is it possible to establish international fishing agreements, unless our negotiations are continued?
§ Mr. McNEILLAs far as I am aware, without having had notice, there is no 2580 international agreement except the ordinary international law which establishes as a minimum the three miles limit.
§ Mr. LANSBURYIs it not a fact—
§ Mr. SPEAKERWe cannot now discuss the matter. It can be discussed in the Debate on the Foreign Office Vote.