§ 37. Mr. MANDERasked the First Lord of the Admiralty, with regard to 748 the recent enlistment of 100 ex-officers and naval ratings in the Colombian navy, how many of these are on the reserve, and how many asked for and obtained the permission of the Admiralty to go?
Sir B. EYRES MONSELLI assume that the number of 100 mentioned by the hon. Member is that of a party mentioned in the Press on the 14th May as having sailed from this country on the 12th May. The total number of officers and men who are serving in the Colombian navy with the permission of the Admiralty is 130, of whom 13 are officers on the retired list and 117 are naval pensioners. In addition, 55 men now serving in that navy were formerly members of the Royal Fleet Reserve, but were granted their discharge on entering the Colombian service.
§ 42. Mr. MANDERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any communication was received by the Foreign Office from the Government of Colombia with reference to the arrangements recently entered into whereby 100 British ex-officers and naval ratings have joined the Colombian navy for a period of two years?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir John Simon)Yes, Sir. The Colombian Chargé d'Affaires inquired on the 5th February last (1) whether His Majesty's Government would see objection to the engagement of certain British subjects, who had previously served in the Royal Navy, under a direct contract with the Colombian Government, to navigate two destroyers which had recently been acquired by that Government across the Atlantic to Colombia, and (2) under what conditions these ex-officers and men could continue to serve in the Colombian Navy in the event of Colombia becoming involved in war. I replied on the 6th February (1) that there was no legal objection to the Colombian Government entering into a direct contract with British subjects for the purpose of the navigation of the vessels to Colombia and their delivery to the Colombian authorities; but (2) that it would be contrary to the Foreign Enlistment Act of 1870 for any British subject to accept any commission or engagement in the military or naval services of any foreign state at war with any other foreign state which is at 749 peace with this country; and (3) that His Majesty's Government would see serious objection to any contract which the Colombian Government might conclude with any British subject being drawn in such a way as to constitute an agreement by such British subject to remain in the service of the Colombian Government in the event of Colombia becoming involved in war. I subsequently received a communication from the Colombian Government informing me that, under the terms of their contracts with these individuals, the parties concerned could not be called upon to undertake any duties which would be contrary to their obligations as British subjects and, furthermore, that the Government of Colombia would not in fact invite these ex-officers or ratings to perform any service or duty other than those provided for in their contracts.
§ Mr. MANDERDoes not that really mean that in the event of hostilities breaking out between Colombia and another country, such as Peru, as seems possible, the only competent people on the ships would immediately have to leave?
§ Sir J. SIMONIt means exactly what my answer clearly conveyed to the hon. Gentleman. There is no ground whatever to suggest that the British Government have been party to enlisting any British subjects for the purpose of taking part in any war.
§ Mr. MANDERDoes it not create an impossible position for British subjects to be serving in a foreign navy seeing that they have to leave it the moment war breaks out?