T.M. 29410.
BY AIR MAIL.
sir,
COPY
58
Enel. I
MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT,
SEA TRANSPORT DIVISION,
BERKELEY SQUARE,
LONDON, W.1.
23rd May, 1947.
:
I refer to your letter of the 27th March regarding the Ministry of Transport vessels at Hongkong and in particular to the list (Schedule A) of Ministry-owned vessels retained for service with the Hongkong Government which you enclosed. It is desired to bring to account all Ministry-owned craft lying abroad and to put on a proper footing those vessels which at the termination of hostilities were loaned to Colonial Governments and local Authorities in connection with rehabili- tation. The question of the craft at Hongkong has been discussed with the Colonial Office who recommend that the matter is one for local consideration and suggest that those craft which are still essential to the public Authorities should be bought by the Hong Kong Government.
Will you please approach the Hongkong Government on behalf of the Ministry, representing to them the desire of the Ministry to dispose of these craft and invite them to make an offer for the craft listed. The Admiralty are the Disposal Authority for the T.B., D.R., H.S.L. and M.F.V. vessels mentioned in your list Schedule A and the present enquiry refers only to the remainder of the craft which are Ministry- owned. "J" vessels are War Office owned.
When transmitting the offer perhaps you would be good enough to say for how long the craft have been in local Government use and give some indication of the conditions.
For your guidance I should add that the minimum prices required for the tugs "Empire Sam" and "Empire Josephine are £19,000 and £23,000 respectively on the assumption that they were handed over to the Hongkong Government on or about 1st June 1946. The se prices are based on a general formula which has been applied to the sales of this class of tug to British buyers.
Harbour Master, Harbour Department, Hong Kong.
I am, Sir,
Your obedient servant,