7. Miss RATHBONEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, what number or proportion of the directors of the Suez Canal Company are appointed by the British and French governments, respectively; and who are at present the British representatives.
§ Viscount CRANBORNEThe directors of the Suez Canal Company, who are 32. in number, are appointed by the general assembly of shareholders. Three of those directors are nominated by His Majesty's Government. Twenty-one directors are French, but so far as I am aware none is nominated by the French Government. By a recent agreement between the company and the Egyptian Government two of the French directorships are to be transferred to Egyptian subjects. The 2381 present British Government representatives are Sir Ian Malcolm, Sir J. T Davies and the Earl of Cromer.
§ Mr. GARRO JONESCan the Noble Lord say who has the controlling interest among the shareholders in the appointment of directors?
§ Viscount CRANBORNEI should like to have notice of that question.
8. Miss RATHBONEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government will initiate proposals to the other governments concerned such as may secure to the Suez Canal Company whatever powers may be necessary to stop the passage through the canal of poison gas and other commodities of which the usage is, or may be, prohibited by international law; and whether there is at present any kind of commodity of which the passage through the canal is prohibited.
§ Viscount CRANBORNEAs regards the first part of the Question, my right hon. Friend does not feel that the action proposed would be likely to achieve any useful result at the present moment. The answer to the second part of the Question is No, Sir.
Miss RATHBONEIs it contemplated that in the event of the British Government being concerned in a war in the East poison gas would still be allowed to go through the Suez Canal to the detriment of British interests?
§ Viscount CRANBORNEI have already said that it is not thought we could achieve any useful result at the present moment. Perhaps the hon. Lady has not studied the names of the signatories to the Convention.