MINUTES.
183
17
agreed that favourable consideration would be given to an application from the It was also Nigerian Government for an extension of the charter if desired. agreed that the Nigerian Government were only to be charged the net premium paid on the insurance effected on the ship during her charter.
18. Schedule of Losses and Writes-off.-The Committee approved the revised schedule transmitted in the Assistant Paymaster-General's letter of the 3rd of February.
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Græcia," Adolf," 19. Expenses on fitting out Prize Ships "Rooke,” 'Georg,"
‚” “Ĝibraltar," and "Emir."-The Committee agreed that all the expendi ture included in an account from the Admiralty for the amount of the £763 15s. 8d., with the exception of the sum charged for supplying chain cable to the "Gibraltar," had been incurred on fitting the ships for sea, and that when credit had been received from the Admiralty for the chain cable which had been returned the account might be paid.
2015
THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIRST MEETING of the Committee was held at the Colonial Office on Monday, 28th February, 1916, at 3.30 p.m.
The following members were present:-
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. C. TENNYSON, C.M.G., Colonial Office.
MR. T. H. HOLT, Crown Agents.
MR. R. A. WISEMAN (Secretary).
1. The minutes of the previous meeting were confirmed.
The
2. S.5. Ranee." It was considered desirable to retain this ship in the Eastern trade, for which she appears to have been specially constructed. Committee accordingly decided to agree to the renewal of the charter with the Straits Steamship Company for a further period of six months or for the duration of the war, whichever is the less.
3. The position of Messrs. Waltons and Company.-Dr. Brown, from the Procurator-General's Department, attended during the discussion of this item.
Mr. Tennyson explained that some little time go it had been arranged between the Admiralty, the Treasury Solicitor, and the Coasting Trade Office, owing to various difficulties which had arisen through the employment of provincial solici- tors, that the Treasury Solicitor should act for the Admiralty Coasting Trade Office in all cases involving litigation. This decision had not been communicated to Messrs. Waltons, but the Treasury Solicitor had acted on the assumption that the decision was general and had approached Messrs. Waltons and Company in one or two matters. Messrs. Waltons were not at all clear as to their position, and he thought that some decision on the subject should be arrived at by the Com- mittee. Dr. Brown stated that the Treasury Solicitor's Department were quite willing to take over any legal work which the Committee wished, but that they After some dis- had no desire to press the Committee to hand such work over. cussion it was decided that the Treasury Solicitor should in future take all the legal work of the Coasting Trade Office except that Messrs. Waltons should be allowed to complete the cases which they had in hand, and that Messrs. Waltons should continue to act in all cases in which oversea ships or other ships run directly by the Committee were concerned.
4. s.v" Terpsichore." Mr. Halt reported that he had learnt that the Cana- He had dian Government were loading other cargo than wheat in this ship. asked the High Commissioner to telegraph and find out what cargo was being loaded and what freight was proposed to be paid, and suggesting that the original charter should be cancelled. He had received no reply to this telegram, but he had
fixed the ship to bring home lumber on the understanding that the fresh charter would only be operative in the event of the original charter being cancelled.
5. Tonnage for Jamaica.-The Committee decided that, in view of the fact that all their ships had been transferred to another department, they could not deal with the situation created by the shortage of tonnage at Jamaica. They suggested that the Colonial Office should refer the request of the Jamaica Government to the Shipping Control Committee, and that any other similar application for assistance which might be received by the Colonial Office should also be referred to the same Committee.
6. S.D. Chile."Mr. Tennyson stated that the damage suffered by this ship in collision with the "Hirose amounted to about £550, and that the owners of These owners had now offered the latter ship had probably suffered rather more.
to meet the cost of the damage to their own ship and to pay 75 per cent. of the The Com- damage suffered by the "Chile" and the taxed costs of the Committee. mittee agreed that Messrs. Waltons and Company might be authorized to conclude a settlement on the basis mentioned if they found it impossible to secure any larger contribution.
The Committee agreed that Mr. T. A. Shute should be informed that the halance of his account could not be paid until his accounts had been examined by their Accountant.
7.
8.s. "Istria."-The Committee considered a letter from the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation asking to be allowed to retain out of the pro- ceeds of the sale of the cargo a sum sufficient to cover the amount of the advances they had made before the war. The Committee decided that the question of a payment on account by the bank might be allowed to remain in abeyance until the account sales had been received, and that in the meantime the Prize Claims Com- mittee should be asked for their observations on the correspondence.
8. 8.8. Grahamland." Mr. Holt reported that this ship had put into Queens- town with her machinery broken down.
The Committee decided that on her arrival at Liverpool she should be offered to the Transport Department, and that she should be valued by Messrs. Lachlan and Company.
9. s.s. "Senegambia."-The Secretary reported the sale of this ship to the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique for £73,000. Mr. Malkin stated that he understood that the Company were only going to pay 75 per cent. in cash.
10. 9.3. "Polkerris."-The Committee agreed that it was unnecessary to inform the Customs Department of the sale of this ship in view of the fact that she had been sold to a French citizen.
11.
Conditions of Sale.-A letter, received from Messrs. T. R. Miller and Company, relative to the alteration in the conditions of sale was to be sent to the Foreign Office to deal with.
12. 8.3. "Gibraltar."--The Committee agreed that the dispute with the repre- sentatives as to the payment of the freights for £607 14s. and £31 28. 7d. should be referred to arbitration, as provided for in the agreement, if the Procurator- General saw no objection to this course.
13. 5.8. Proton."-Messrs. C. W. Kellock and Company were to be asked for the valuation of this ship, which it was understood they were making under the direction of the Prize Court at Alexandria. When their figures had been received they should be communicated to the Transport. Department and to the Assistant Paymaster-General.
14. S.8. "Seattle." It was agreed that further particulars as to the stores on board this ship should be obtained from Lieutenant-Commander Pollard, R.N.
15.
s.s. "Genesee.”—The Committee agreed that the stores on board this ship at St. Lucia should be appraised by the Court, and they recommended that the Procurator-General should be asked if the appraisement could be effected in this
country.
The Committee recommended that the Administrator of St. Lucia should be asked to report why a full crew had been maintained on board during practically the whole of December.
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