§ 3. Mr. Manderasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will give particulars with regard to the working of the non-intervention scheme up to date, including information as to the quantity and type of equipment supplied to both sides which has come to the notice of the board, and the dates on which it was supplied?
§ The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Eden)I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my Noble Friend to a question on the same subject asked by the hon. Member for North Cumberland (Mr. W. Roberts) on 25th June, to which I have nothing to add.
§ Mr. ManderWill there be submitted to the House a report on the work done by the board?
§ 11. Miss Wilkinsonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received any report from the British Consul at Bilbao relative to the consulate at Bilbao, and whether the building suffered in any way during the fighting and the capture of the town?
§ Miss WilkinsonHas the right hon. Gentleman noticed that in the extreme pro-Franco Press in this country, a great deal has been made out of the alleged sacking of the consulate in Bilbao by the Basques?
§ Mr. Wedgwood BennThe right hon. Gentleman has not answered the question. He was asked whether he had received any report from the British consul. Has he received a report from the British Consul, and if so, what did the Consul say?
§ Mr. BennDid not the right hon. Gentleman inform me a week ago that a consular officer had proceeded to Bilbao?
§ Mr. EdenI do not want to deceive the House. A consular officer is not the same as a consul. He is there to look after our archives. I am sorry if I misled the right hon. Gentleman; I did not mean to do so.
§ 14. Mr. Manderasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any time-limit has been set or is contemplated to the proceedings of the Non-Intervention Committee; to what extent in the meantime the system of inspection by land or sea is being carried out; and with what result?
§ Mr. EdenThe answer to the first part of the question is "No, Sir," though His Majesty's Representative on the Committee has made it clear that His Majesty's Government could not agree to any undue delay. As regards the second part, the system of observation has been suspended in respect of the land frontiers between Spain, France and Portugal but is still in operation with respect to the the merchant ships flying the flags of countries parties to the Non-Intervention Agreements.
§ Mr. ManderWill the right hon. Gentleman see that a strict time limit is applied in view of the very obvious intention of Germany and Italy to sabotage the proceedings already?
§ Mr. EdenI think the position of the Government has already been made clear both in my statement and in that of my Noble Friend in the Committee.
§ Mr. ThorneWhat is the position now, and what is really going on at this Committee?
17. Mr. Vyvyan Adamsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what reply has been received from the insurgents in Spain regarding our demands for the safety of the crew of the merchantmen recently seized by the insurgent fleet?
§ Mr. EdenI have been in touch this morning with His Majesty's Ambassador at Hendaye and I understand that though 2176 no official communication from General Franco's Government on this subject has yet been received, there is reason to believe that the crews of the two British ships in question are being treated with every courtesy. In the case of the "Candleston Castle" His Majesty's Consul at Corunna has been given facilities to be present at the inquiry on board the ship at Ferrol, and he has reported that all is well on board.
§ Mr. EdenI do not think I can add anything to what I have said, but I hope there will be more information to-morrow.
§ 26. Mr. R. Aclandasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether instructions have been sent to British warships to cover the case of a British merchant ship inside territorial waters which refused to pay attention to a warning shot fired across its bows by an insurgent warship outside territorial waters, and was thereupon fired on by the insurgent warship?
§ The First Lord of the Admiralty (Mr. Duff Cooper)I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Prime Minister to the hon. and gallant Member for Nuneaton (Lieut.-Commander Fletcher) on 19th July. It has been repeatedly stated that when British ships enter territorial waters they do so at their own risk. If when in territorial waters they refuse to comply with the demands of Spanish warships and are consequently subjected to force, they will not be afforded the protection of His Majesty's ships unless the force used is greater than the circumstances warrant.
§ Mr. AclandIn view of the fact that the Government have said that it would not be permissible for an insurgent ship to fire from outside territorial waters at a British ship inside territorial waters, does the right hon. Gentleman mean the House to understand that a British warship will stand by and watch a British ship being hit by shells in those circumstances? Is that so or not? Can he tell us?
§ Mr. CooperThe position of a British warship, if the circumstances described by the hon. Member—which have not, I am glad to say, arisen—were to arise, would certainly be extremely unpleasant. I therefore, hope we can rely upon the good sense of masters of British merchant ships not to create such difficulties.
§ Mr. BennWhat was the duty of the captain of a British warship yesterday or the day before when a Spaniard from outside territorial waters attempted to sink the "Candleston Castle"? What was he to do; was he ordered to stand by and allow the ship to be sunk? That is not a hypothetical case?
§ Mr. CooperThe position of a British ship in territorial waters is the same as the position of a British subject in Spain. If a private person goes into a country where a civil war is going on or if a ship goes into territorial waters where a civil war is going on, they must accept the orders which they are given.
§ Mr. AclandOn a point of Order. I give notice that these replies are so unsatisfactory that I will raise the matter at the earliest opportunity.
§ 29. Mr. Bennasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether His Majesty's ships are instructed as to signalling to British merchantmen held captive by the Spanish rebels on the high seas?
§ Mr. CooperNo, Sir. The matter is left entirely to the discretion of the commanding officers of His Majesty's ships.
§ Mr. BennDid the "Royal Oak" make any signals to the "Molton" when she was taken captive with 30 British subjects on board?
§ Mr. CooperI should want notice of that question.
Captain Arthur EvansIs it not a fact that the Captain of the "Molton" had specific instructions from the charter party and also from the owners that in the event of any signal or advice being received from His Majesty's naval authorities he should immediately accept it, without question?
§ Mr. BennBut is it not a fact that the First Lord told me that the "Royal Oak" made no signal to the "Molton"?
§ 30. Lieut.-Commander Fletcherasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he has any statement to make regarding the capture of the steamship "Candle-stone Castle" and the firing upon the steamship "Sarastone" and the steamship "Grandstone" by Spanish insurgent naval forces?
§ Mr. CooperI understand that the steamship "Candlestone Castle" and the steamship "Sarastone" both attempted to enter Gijon on the morning of Saturday, 17th July. No British warship was present at the time, but from messages which have been received by the naval authorities from the steamship "Candle-stone Castle," it appears that when the two ships were within Spanish territorial waters warning shots were fired across their bows by the Spanish insurgent warship "Jupiter." The steamship "Sara-stone," which was nearer the shore, succeeded in getting safely into port, but the "Candlestone Castle" submitted and was captured. I understand that she was taken to Ferrol. I have no information as to any British ship called the steamship "Grandstone."
§ Miss WilkinsonIs not the attitude of the British Government in fact recognising General Franco's belligerent rights in this matter instead of treating him as a pirate, which in fact he is until he is recognised?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerIs it not a fact that the "Sarastone" was repeatedly fired on by the insurgent vessel from outside territorial waters?
Vice-Admiral TaylorCan my right hon. Friend say what this vessel was doing inside Spanish territorial waters?
§ Mr. CooperAccording to such information as I have, she was not fired on. They fired twice across her bows, and after that she was not fired on.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerDid not the right hon. Gentleman read the report from the master himself that he had shots fired through his rigging?
§ Mr. CooperNo, Sir.
§ Mr. H. G. WilliamsCan my right hon. Friend say what is the difference between volunteers on Spanish land and volunteers in Spanish waters?
§ Lieut.-Commander FletcherIs it not the case that no ships of the Navy were present in order to afford these ships protection up to the limit of the territorial waters, had they required it?
§ Mr. CooperThat is another question. These ships did not ask for any particular protection. His Majesty's ships cannot be outside every port in Spain.