185
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ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
10
MINUTES.
After some discussion it was decided to consider the question again at the next meeting of the Committee.
11. Conditions of Sale.-The Committee decided that the rate of interest payable on that portion of the purchase money which the purchaser was to be entitled to leave on mortgage or guarantee should be raised from five to six per cent. It was also decided to insert a clause providing that all unbroached consum- able stores or bunker coals should be paid for by the purchasers at current prices ruling at the port of delivery. It was understood that such a clause was usual in sales of privately-owned ships, and, from inquiries made from the Admiralty Marshal, it appeared that there was no special reason why the clause had not been inserted in the conditions previously.
The Committee also approved a small alteration in Clauses 3 and 8 to provide that the purchase money should be payable "in cash in London."
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12. Steamships "Australia" and Furth."-The Committee considered a query which had been received from the Audit Department as to the authority under which these ships had been sold. It was decided to write to the Treasury, sending a copy of the query, and to say that the Committee had always under- stood that they were empowered to sell prize ships, but that, as there appeared some doubt in the matter, they would be glad if formal sanction were given for their action in the matter. A list of the ships already sold should, at the same time, be communicated to the Treasury, and the Treasury should be asked whether formal approval might not be given to the recommendations made in the Commit- tee's First Interim Report.
13.
$.5. Ranee." Mr. Holt stated that he had already seen Mr. Somerville on the subject of the renewal of the charter for this ship, and that proposals for the renewal would be received from him shortly.
14. Losses and Writes-Off-The Committee considered a revised schedule, which had been received from the Assistant Paymaster-General, of items which required the sanction of the Committee. The question being raised as to the com- petence of the Acting Chairman to signify the approval of the Committee, the Secretary was asked to look into the matter and to bring up the paper at the next meeting.
15. The Account of Messrs. Waltons and Company.-The Secretary stated that among the items was included a charge for ten guineas in respect of Messrs. C. W. Kellock and Company's valuation of the s.s. "Marina." The Assistant Paymaster-General had pointed out that Messrs. C. W. Kellock and Company had already been paid for the valuation of the Marina." It appeared, however, that the Marina had been valued twice, the second valuation having been necessi- tated by the fact that information had subsequently become available as to the condition of this ship, and that Messrs. Mitchell, Cotts and Company had pro- tested against the valuation originally arrived at. Messrs. Mitchell, Cotts and Company had offered to pay half of the cost of the second valuation if (as actually happened) the figure arrived at for the value of the ship were larger than a certain sum, but, as the charter had never been concluded, no demand had been addressed to them to refund this amount. On the other hand, Messrs. Mitchell, Cotts and Company had made a large claim against the Committee for the expenses in which they had been involved in connexion with the proposed charter, and had then been asked to arrange with Messrs. Elder Dempster and Company, the subsequent charterers, for the latter Company to take over the stores, crew, etc., sent out before the charter party had been settled. No further information had been received from Messrs. Mitchell, Cotts and Company as to the arrangements which had been made with Messrs. Elder Dempster and Company. In the circumstances, therefore, the Committee decided that it was better not to approach Messrs. Mitchell, Cotts and Company with regard to the payment of their share of the cost of the valuation, but the Assistant Paymaster-General was to be asked to note this claim against them for action in the event of the question of a refund of their expenses being raised again by them. In the meantime the cost of the valua- tion should be repaid to Messrs. Waltons.
The Secretary reported to the Committee that be was doubtful as to the pro- posed allocation in the accounts of one or two of the items included in Messrs. Waltons' expenses.
The Committee thought that this question should be settled between the Secretary and Mr. Bebb.
1936
MINUTES.
THE NINETY-ninth Meeting of the Committee was held at the Colonial Office on Monday, the 14th of February, 1916, at 3.15 p.m.
The following members were present:-
1.
VICE-ADMIRAL SIR E. J. W. SLADE, K.C.I.E., K.C.V.O. (Chairman). MR. W. J. EVANS, Admiralty.
MR. G. L. BARSTOW, C.B., Treasury.
MR. H. W. MALKIN, Foreign Office.
MR. L. D. WAKELY, India Office.
MR. C. TENNYSON, C.M.G., Colonial Office.
MR. T. H. HOLT, Crown Agents.
MR. R. A. WISEMAN (Secretary).
The minutes of the previous meeting were confirmed, subject to the omission
of the last sentence of (6).
2. 8.V. "Chile."-Mr. Holt reported that the sails of this ship could not be used for the "Carl,” and that the only offer received otherwise appeared to him to be very low. The Committee decided that the sails should be sold by auction.
3.
3.v. “Carl.”—Mr. Holt reported that it was impossible to fix this boat for logwood, but he could obtain a good freight with coal for Bahia Blanca, and he The Committee agreed that estimated that the profit ought to be some £15,000.
the ship should be fixed for this port, but Mr. Holt was to communicate with the Foreign Office as to the proposed consignees.
4. 8.8. "Emir."-Mr. Holt reported that when this ship was discharging coal at Seccondee, on her recent voyage to West Africa, an urgent demand had been received from Lagos for the ship to be sent on there, as stocks were very low at that port.
The ship was accordingly taken at once to Lagos, and after she had discharged the coal for that port was moved back to Seccondee, whence she had to proceed again to Lagos to load her homeward cargo. The extra cost of taking her on to Lagos before she had completed her discharge at Seccondee was estimated at £600. The Committee considered that the Colonial Government should be asked to pay this sum.
The Committee agreed to pay commission at the rate of 21 per cent. on the sale of fifteen bags of wax sold by Messrs. Churchill & Sim, through Messrs. R. Lyon and Company-
The Committee considered a report from the Assistant Paymaster-General upon the accounts for the sale of cotton. They considered that Messrs. Churchill and Sim should be asked to explain why the rent for the various parcels had been payable for so long a period.
The Committee agreed that the 6th of January should be taken as the date of the transfer of the ship to the Transport Department.
The
The Committee considered a further letter from Messrs. Waltons and Com- pany with regard to the claim for a release of 1,000 bags of ground-nuts. Committee saw no reason to modify their previous view that the claimant should prosecute any further claim he might wish to put forward through the Prize Court. 5. "Tandem accounts.-The Committee considered the statement prepared by Messrs. William Richards and Sons, average adjusters, with regard to these Mr. Bebb raised the accounts. During this discussion Mr. Bebb was present.
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question as to how far the Committee was responsible for checking the accuracy of the statement of an average adjuster, so far as the figures related in this account to charges borne exclusively by the cargo-owners, or generally to charges borne by damaged cargo. After some discussion, it was decided that Mr. Bebb should consult Mr. Robinson of the Treasury as to the procedure followed in dealing with average statements prepared for the Transport Department, and that the same principles should be observed in dealing with the Committee's accounts.
Mr. Bebb then raised the following points for the consideration of the Committee:-
(a) He explained that the principle adopted in preparing the statement had been that all expenditure up to the 15th December, 1914, inclusive, was borne