MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT VESSELS.
Enclosure No.8.
37
Serial Nos. refer to Schedule accompanying Despatch No.19 of 30.1.48.
(A) Empire Tugs.
Serial Nos.
1 & 2.
(2 vessels)
The tugs "Empire Sam" and "Empire Josephine" were taken over by this Government from the Naval Authorities, Hong Kong, on or about the 17th May, 1946.
(B) Tanacs.
Serial Nos.
10.
(8 vessels)
(c) R.C.L.'s.
Serial Nos.
11-53.
(43 vessels)
Nos. 3 and 4 were taken over by Government in June, 1946, from Unit 261 I.W.T. (R.I.A.S.C.) when this unit was disbanded and/or left the Colony.
Nos.5 and 6 were taken over by Government from the Naval Authorities, Hong Kong, on the 13th February, 1946.
Nos. 7 and 8. These vessels were shipped from the Royal Naval Pool, Australia, on or about the 25th March, 1946 and, although not apparently specifically ordered, were in replacement of short shipment of other types of vessels.
Nos. 9 and 10. These were taken over by Government from the Naval Authorities, Hong Kong, in November, 1946. They were subsequently chartered from 6.1.46 until 31.10.47 and 31.5.47 respectively. Ministry of Transport was credited with the monthly hire of £135 for each vessel. On the expiry of these charters, the vessels were taken over by this Government.
Nos.11, 12, 13, 15 and 30 were taken over by this Government from Unit 261 I.W.T. (R.I.A.S.C.) in June, 1946, when the unit was disbanded and/or left the Colony.
Australia,
Nos.24 29 were shipped from the Royal Naval Pool, and were the only six received out of an order for 22.
Nos. 14, 16-23, 31-53.were received in Hong Kong from Calcutta in two lots of 6 and 26 respectively. They were presumably supplied after enquiry in February or March 1946, to D.Q.M.G. - H.Q. S.E.A.C, who replied that 170 R.C.L.'s were available in India for disposal. 26 were ordered (H.K. Demand No. A(17)) dated the 5th April, 1946, and this order, together with the 22 from Australia (of which 6 only were fit to ship) was in satisfaction of a total demand for 48. To make up the shortage 5 were obtained from R.I.A.S.C. arising from the short fall in the Australian shipment in (C), and a further 6 vessels from India, making in all a total of 43 against a demand for 48.
(D) "B" Type Lighters
Serial Nos.
54 58.
(5 vessels)
5 of these lighters arrived in Hong Kong from Port Said on the 13th August, 1946, by the "Empire Wallace".
45 of these vessels were available in Egypt for distribution between Singapore and Hong Kong. The Ministry of Transport Representative in Hong Kong asked the Ministry of Transport, London, on 21.2.46 for as large a share of this number as possible. Only 5 were allotted. These vessels were originally intended for sale to commercial interests, but were retained by Government in view of a serious shortage of Sanitary Department lighters.