§ Mr. Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs under what convention or other instrument the United Kingdom retains the right to search ships suspected of carrying slaves.
§ Mr. Dodds-ParkerThe United Kingdom concluded at the end of the nineteenth century various bilateral treaties for the suppression of the slave trade and is a party to the Brussels Act of 1890. The Brussels Act specifically recognised reciprocal rights of visit, search and detention of vessels suspected of engaging in the slave trade within certain defined maritime areas. The United Kingdom is also a party to the Convention of St. Germain of 1919 which, though it purported to abrogate the Brussels Act as between the parties to that Convention, imposed an obligation to "secure the complete suppression of the slave trade by land and sea" and thus either facitly182W reaffirmed or left untouched the general provisions of Chapter III of the Brussels Act regarding the slave trade on the high seas. In pursuance of the obligations of the United Kingdom under the above-mentioned instruments British naval vessels have regularly patrolled the high seas in the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea watching for vessels engaged in the slave trade. The Supplementary Convention signed at Geneva on 7th September does not revoke or abrogate any previously existing treaty rights.