§ 50. Mr. MORGAN JONESasked the Prime -Minister whether the Government, directly or through any agent, have been in negotiation during the present year for the sale of munitions of war or armaments to the Turkish Government or its agents; and whether the negotiations are still in progress?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINNo direct negotiations whatever have taken place. The only indirect overtures that I can trace consisted of inquiries of private firms, but so far as I am aware nothing materialised, and no negotiations are now in progress.
§ Mr. JONESMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether his attention has been directed to an article in a London paper this morning in which specific allegations are made that an offer, through an intermediary, was made on behalf of the British Government by a Birmingham firm to supply 100,000 rifles and 100,000,000 rounds of ammunition; and whether it is a fact that this offer was made, as it is declared to have been made, on the express authority of the Foreign Secretary himself; and whether he is prepared to deny it?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINI did not get further in the article to which the hon. Gentleman refers than the head lines. The facts are as stated in my answer. There is nothing in international obligations or in our relations with the Turkish Government which should cause us to prevent British firms from supplying them with armaments if they desire it.
§ Mr. JONESAs there is nothing in international law, may I ask whether there is not something in the actual practice of nations that precludes us from doing this sort of thing?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINNo, Sir.
§ Mr. W. THORNEDo not firms have to get the permission of the Foreign Secretary before they can trade in that way?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINYes, there has to be permission from the British Government for the export of arms, but that permission ought not to be capriciously withheld. There is nothing, as I say, in the state of the world or in our relations with the Turkish Government which should cause me to think it in the public interest to prohibit the export of arms to Turkey at the present day.
§ Mr. JONESAs a matter of fact, is it not stated specifically in one of the communications from the private firm to the Turkish Government that this kind of thing is done for the first time by this Government?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINThat I do not know, because I have not seen the communications which have passed between the private firm and the Turkish Government.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware that British men-of-war were sunk in the Dardanelles by mines supplied by British firms, and is he prepared to see a repetition of that?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINI am not contemplating a new war with Turkey. We have just successfully concluded negotiations which place our relations on the most satisfactory footing, and there, I trust, we shall be able to maintain them, if this House will allow us to do so.
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSIs it not a fact that there is in Bedford Park a large gun captured from Germany which was made in Great Britain to kill British people?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat question is irrelevant.