§ 7. Lieut.- Commander KENWORTHYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty, with reference to the operations of His Majesty's vessels in the Red Sea for the suppression of the slave traffic, where these slaves come from, where it is endeavoured to send them, and through what territories they pass; and which of the territories through which they pass are under British control or under the control of Other European Powers?
Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONReports from Arabia show that shipments of slaves are smuggled across the Red Sea to Southern Arabia in native dhows from time to time. So far as it known, these slaves are mostly Abyssinians, but, unless the slave dhows are intercepted in transit, their ports of origin and destination cannot be established. His Majesty's ships in the Red Sea, in collaboration with ships of the French and Italian navies, are constantly on the look-out for these dhows, but are rarely able to effect a capture of the nature described in Command Paper 1858 of 1923, to which I would refer the hon. and gallant Member.
§ Lieut.- Commander KENWORTHYMay I point out that the hon. Gentleman has not answered my question fully? These Abyssinian slaves must pass through some territory to the sea; through whose territory do they pass?
Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONThat is exactly the difficulty which I have tried to describe in my answer. Unless these slaves are actually intercepted on their war across, it is impossible to say exactly through which territory they pass.
§ Lieut.- Commander KENWORTHYThese slave dhows are occasionally captured, and that means that there is information showing through which territory they have come; would it not be easier to stop the slaves there?
§ Mr. THURTLEIs it possible that these slaves are just as mythical as the Russian troops who came to this country?
§ 10. Mr. FORRESTasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if any other nation is co-operating in the suppression of slave traffic in the Red Sea or whether the task is left solely to Great Britain?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANFrance and Italy are so co-operating.