§ 65. Mr. RUNCIMANasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the British commercial and shipping interests attach great import- 1651 ance to the adoption at the forthcoming diplomatic conference at Brussels of the draft convention on the Immunity of State-owned Ships as the best means for securing international acceptance of the practice now followed in this country, under which claims against ships owned or operated by the State are left to the decision of the Law Courts?
§ Sir B. CHADWICKI have considered very carefully the arguments which have been placed before me by representatives of the commercial and shipping interests on this question of the immunity of State-owned ships, and I hope it will be possible to secure international agreement at the International Conference next month to provisions which will go a considerable way towards meeting those views.