§ THE EARL OF SELBORNEMy Lords, I beg to ask His Majesty's Government how many certificates for pilotage for the River Thames or for any part of the United Kingdom were held by German or Austrian subjects, or by naturalised Germans or Austrians, when the war broke out.
§ THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (LORD ISLINGTON)My Lords, at the outbreak of war five pilotage certificates for the London district and three for the Humber (except in and out of Grimsby) were held by German subjects, all being masters in the employment of the Argo Steamship Company, of Bremen. No pilotage certificate for any other port in the United Kingdom was held by a German or Austrian subject. So far as the Board of Trade have been able to ascertain, no pilotage certificate was held by a naturalised German or Austrian, but the pilotage authorities are not in all cases in possession of information with regard to the antecedents of the holders of certificates. The total number of pilotage certificates held by masters and mates in the United Kingdom at the date mentioned was about 2,500.