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Amid Tory cries of "Hear! Hear!" Captain Anthony Eden rose again to say that if Persia did not reinstate Anglo-Persian's concession by Dec. 15, then, "We will have no alternative but to refer this dispute to the Permanent Court of International Justice at The Hague as a matter of urgency."
"The British Government," continued Captain Eden amid fresh cheers, "will hold the Persian Government directly responsible for any damage or interference with the Anglo-Persian] company's business or any failure to afford the Company adequate protection."
"Does this mean," shouted white-haired Leader George Lansbury of the British Labor Party, popping up from his seat. "that if certain contingencies arise the British Government proposes to take armed measures?"
"I decline to answer on the ground that the question is hypothetical," snapped Captain Eden. "I think that the position is quite clear."
The naval position was, according to the British Admiralty, that H. M. S. Enterprise, flagship of the East Indies squadron, was steaming up the Persian Gulf, accompanied by H. M. S. Emerald and the 10,000-ton cruiser H. M. S. Hawkins in command of Rear Admiral Dunbar-Nasmith, V. C. This movement the Admiralty said was part of "regular maneuvers" but had involved changes in the sailing orders of the three ships "such changes being not unusual."
Also in the Persian Gulf was Persia's brand new navy of six small Italian-built gunboats, the largest being the Palang (Panther) and Babr (Tiger), each of 650 tons. Powerless to cope with British war boats 15 times their size, the Persian ships were nevertheless potent because they were still manned by Italian crews. If shrewd Reza Shah Pahlevi had guessed right, the British mammoths would not fire on his tiny Tiger and Panther for fear of provoking Signor Benito Mussolini.