§ LORD STRABOLGI had the following Notice on the Paper:—To ask His Majesty's Government whether warships of the Spanish Navy, acting under the orders of the Spanish Government, called at Gibraltar for supplies of fuel 306 and/or provisions during the rebellion in Spain; if so, whether they were refused supplies, and for what reason?
§ LORD MARLEYMy Lords, on behalf of my noble friend Lord Strabolgi, I beg to put the Question standing in his name on the Paper.
§ EARL STANHOPEMy Lords, there were six Spanish warships on the 22nd of this month anchored in the Port of Gibraltar, and they were taking in fuel from an oiler belonging to the Spanish Government. Permission was given for these ships to obtain fresh provisions on shore. During the night of the 22nd all these warships, except a torpedo boat, left Gibraltar. Therefore there was no further question of providing oil fuel, but if the Spanish Government choose to negotiate an ordinary transaction with any commercial firm, His Majesty's Government would feel that such a transaction was purely a private matter, and not one in which they were concerned in any way to use their influence one way or the other.
I would remind the noble Lord that a British oiler was bombed in the Straits of Gibraltar—I think on the night of the 22nd—by rebel aeroplanes. Probably it was thought that that British oiler was going to supply oil to the Spanish Fleet. In point of fact it was on its way home to England. Of course it must be realised that those firms who own oilers are not very much encouraged to provide oil to the Spanish Fleet when they are likely to be met with a reception of that kind. Still less will His Majesty's Government feel inclined to press the matter on commercial firms. It is purely a commercial arrangement, and the British Government do not come into it in any way. Therefore if a firm is satisfied that it can safely provide oil, and that it will be paid for it, there is no reason why it should not do it. As the noble Lord knows, Government supplies are in a different category. The oil belonging to His Majesty's Fleet is there for the benefit of the Fleet, and of the Fleet only. We are not of course traders. I do not mean to say that, occasionally, oil is not provided, but that is more in a case of emergency, possibly to save life at sea or something of that kind. That is not an ordinary transaction in which we sell oil to any one, whether a Government or anybody else.
§ LORD MARLEYMy Lords, I am very much obliged to the noble Earl. It would appear then that the oil tanker was not a Government vessel but a private vessel, and therefore it was entirely within their discretion whether they sold oil or not. As to the bombing incident, it may be that the rebels were tempted to bomb this vessel in anticipation of its supplying oil to the Spanish Government.
§ EARL STANHOPEThis vessel had nothing whatever to do with the Spanish Fleet. It happened to be an oiler passing through the Straits on its way home to England when they tried to hit it. The only oil supplied to the Spanish Government was the oil from the Spanish oiler.