Los Angeles herald., 1892-03-11
Exciting Episodes in the
British Commons.
sCanada's Loyalty to the Crown
Questioned.
Bering Sea Negotiations Also the
Subject of Interrogation.
Irish Peasants Heartlessly Oppressed by
British Magist-ates-German
Starving WOrkmen-Other
Foreign News.
Associated Press DISPATCHES.

AssUc11sou E1osn DiobhtcHes.
LONDON, March 10.--The question oil
the defenses OF the harbor OF Esqui
ma1lt, Vancouver island, raised in the
cor imons this afternoon, was discussed
viii b heat by Lord George Francis Ham.
ilttm, first lord of the admiralty, and
seIieral Liberal interrogates. Hardly
HID the breeze died out when the Bering
sfA controversy was brought before the
hbuse by questions addressed by Ed.
Stiard Temperley Gourley, an Advanced
liberal member from Sunderland, and
answered for the government by James
William Lowther, under secretary of the
lpreign Office.
SFerguson, Liberal member from Leith
asked Lord Hamilton:
sDoes the site OF the navy yard at
Esquimault belong to Canada or to the
crown?
Are any advantages secured to her
majestv's vessels at Esquimault harbor
that are not accorded them in the ports
of the United States, France or any
other civilized nation?
"If garrison be put under the Cana
dian government, will the home govern
ment have any means of assuring itself
of the support of the same for her
majesty's fleet in time OF war?
III, as suggested, Canada should de-
eide to cast her lot with the United
States and become incorporated with
that country, would she carry with her
the guns and other portable equipments
of the Notifications
The interrogatories we're delivered
amid storm of exc]amations and re.
monstrance. The last question was put
in such way as to osuggest that in time
of war, or threatened war, the imperial
government could not rely upon the 10y
atty of Canada. The impression the
speaker intended to convey was
that Canada had drifted too far toward
the United States to be trusted to
cooperate with the mother country in
case of trouble with the United States.
Lord Hamilton said: s'The site of the
dock yard at Esquimault belongs to the
crown, and the Canadian government
has reserved for. her majesty's ships,
exclusively, a portion OF the harbor.
The Canadian government will provide
a site for Notifications and guns and will
be responsible for the manning of them.
The honorable gentleman's other ques.
tions seemed to have been put with the
object of causing the inference that in
time of trouble or danger Canada will
not be readyto cooperate with the home
government. l decline to answer these
hypothetical questions, which were
prompted by suppositions at once inju-
dicions and dangerous"
Ferguson jumped to his feet, asking
ST beg that the first lord OF the admiral
ty answer the question whether, in the
event of Canada separating herself
from her maiesty's empire. the guns,
stores and ammunition, as we'll as forti-
cation, will belong to the imperial gov
ernment."
The house was in hubbub when
Ferguson sat Gown, and rang with cries
OF ''order," don't answer" Lord
!, Hamilton made no reply.
Under Secretary Lowther, in response
to the inquiries of Mr.. Gourley as to the
report of the Bering sea commission,
said all the commissioners had signed q
joint report embodying the points on
which they were agreed as regards the
protection and preservation of the sea-
industry. The points upon which nc
agreement was arrived at (and these
were the main points), he added, con.
cerned the length of the season round
the pelagic islands. These questions
would be referred to the arbitration com
mission for settlement.