§ Mr. W. THORNEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the steamship "Seistan," a 7,000-ton ship owned by Frank C. Strick and Company, Baltic House, E.C., which is in the Persian Gulf, is going to load a full cargo of dates for New York; whether he will consider the possibility of this vessel loading with wheat in India for this country instead of loading with dates; and if he can state how the owner of the ship in question got a licence for this voyage?
Mr. RUNCIMANIt is the case that the Ship Licensing Committee has given the "Seistan" a licence for a voyage from the Persian Gulf to New York, and other British vessels are from time to time given licences to trade between foreign ports. The primary consideration is, of course, the needs of the Empire and of Allied countries during the War, but, subject to this, it is very undesirable that all the foreign connections which have been built up by British steamship lines should be entirely severed, as these form a very valuable national asset. Due provision has been and is being made for the carriage of the exportable surplus of wheat from India.