DECLARATION OF LONDON.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 110, 30 June 1911, Page 6

DECLARATION OF LONDON.

DISCUSSED IN THE COMMONS. (Received 30, 8.5 a.m.) .London, dune 29. In the House of Commons, Mr. T. Mcivinnou Wood, in moving the second reading of tiio Prize Bill, said if Parliament refused to ratify it, they would run Lie risk of having food declared absolute contraband, and would nave to Guild more Dreadnoughts, when there would be an.end to the hope of limitation of armaments, lie attached great importance to the approval by the Dominion Prime Ministers of the Declaration of London in its broad aspects, and added sarcastically that the opponents of the Declaration said much’ less -about tho opinions of the Dominions’ representatives since their approval had boon gained., ...Mr, Wood went on to say that Admirals Wilson, Fisher, and Slade favoured the Declaration, and their opinions carried more weight than, those of the dissenting admirals. Sir R. 13. Finlay derided the notion that tho Declaration of London would end in competition for armaments. The proposed' constitution of a Prize Court was outrageous. . Tho Government had completely surrendered British principles on questions of contraband and the destruction of neutrals, though Britain Had the support of America and Japan. Article 34 was simply the adoption' of the German draft. The ratification of the Declaration would be a national calamity. t . ’■ ' Tho debate \was adjourned. (Received 30. ,10 a.m.) Nibmton, Juno 29. The Government has granted an ex • fra day to the Prize Bill debate, and hopes to terminate it on Monday. Mr. McKenna said tho Declaration would not bind Britain in the slightest in regard to allowing ■ belligerent rights to merchantmen convolved on the high seas. The Court had no jurisdiction between belligerents, end the Declaration affected i mitral countries alone. Ho added; “If v o should bo at war with a Power which converted merchantmen .into warships at sea, we are as free to ■leal with those merchantmen as before signing the Declaration.” ' '