§ LORD REAYMy Lords, I wish to ask my noble friend who represents the Foreign Office a Question of which I have given him private notice—namely, whether he can inform the House when the further Report relating to the Peace Conference at the Hague will be laid on the Table, and whether the invitations to the proposed Naval Conference on International Maritime Law have been issued.
THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (LORD FITZMAURICE)My Lords, in regard to the first part of my noble friend's Question I am glad to be able to inform the House that the further Papers which, in reply to my noble friend Lord Eversley, I stated that I hoped before long it would be possible to lay, are now practically ready and will be in the hands of Parliament almost immediately. In regard to the further Question which my noble friend has asked, as to whether the invitations to the proposed Naval Conference have been issued, the reply 1490 is in the affirmative. The desire of His Majesty's Government is to discuss certain points on which it is essential for us that we should have an agreement with the chief naval Powers before ratifying the Convention relating to Prize Courts, which was one of the results of the Hague Conference. The most important of those points, as your Lordships are aware, are the rules relating to blockade and contraband. The capture of private property at sea is not included. I cannot say what subjects other Powers may desire to raise, but it is desirable that the discussion should be concentrated on points like blockade and contraband, which are strictly germane to the proposed Prize Court Convention.