After a discussion on the same day on the administration
of the law in Ireland—Mr. Birrell's critics showing that the administration was virtually in the hands of the Nationalist members, and that the present state of affairs was a foretaste of Home Rule—Mr. C. Roberts raised the question of the right of capture of private property at sea. He contended that enemy merchant vessels, except when carrying con- traband or in the case of blockades, should be immune from seizure. Mr. Acland, speaking for the Government, said that the question of abandoning the right of capture could be considered only if it explicitly led to a reduction of armaments. He agreed with Lord C. Beresford that it was necessary always to bear in mind the object of war. The object was not to secure immunity for one's commerce, but to make the enemy desire peace as soon as possible, and a power to bring great pressure to bear on an enemy without ap- preciably endangering the lives of non-combatants was a power which any country ought to be slow to give up. We are very glad to learn that the Government have no intention of going back on the declarations which Sir Edward Grey made in 1908.
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