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9. 5.5. Gibraltar. -The Secretary read to the Committee a reference to the arbitrator which had been agreed between Messrs. Parker, Garrett and Com- pany, on behalf of the representatives of the cargo owners and Messrs. Waltons and Company.
10. 8.5.
“Lokken."-The Committee decided that an application should be made to the Court to requisition this ship for use in the coasting trade, subject to the consent of the Foreign Office being obtained.
Mr. Evans stated that the Procurator-General's Department should be asked whether it was necessary that the affidavit supporting the application for requisition should be signed by Sir Graham Greene.
11. s.v. "Dirigo."-The Secretary reported that he had been informed by the Procurator-General that an application was pending for the release of this ship on bail. In the circumstances no further steps were being taken to apply for the requisition of this ship.
12. s.s." Kuka.”—The Committee considered that the payment to be made by the Nigerian Government for the use of this ship should be considered when a decision had been reached on the general question of the payment to be made by oversea Governments for the use of prize ships. In the meantime the Governor- General of Nigeria should be warned that he would be required to pay for the use of the ship.
13. Employment of Messrs. Waltons and Company. The Secretary_read a letter from the Treasury stating that in cases involving litigation Messrs. Waltons should be employed to act as agents for the Treasury Solicitor. This decision should be communicated to Messrs. Waltons, and they should be thanked for their action in agreeing to act as agents as proposed.
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14. Insurance of Cargoes.-(a) Gibraltar copper cargoes.-The Committee agreed that a copy of the correspondence with Messrs. Glanvill, Enthoven and Company with regard to the payment of premium upon the consignment of copper ex s.8. Kalymnos," Adolphus," and "George R." should be sent to the Admiralty. That Department should be informed that the Committee agreed that premium was due to the Insurance Companies under the Committee's cover, and that it should be paid by the Admiralty.
(b) 8.5. "Bethania."-The Secretary read to the Committee a draft despatch to the Governor of Jamaica asking whether he considered that the offer of the Insurance Companies to pay £1,175 in settlement of all claims in respect of damage and charges should be accepted. The Committee concurred in the draft.
15.
s.s. “Istria.”—The Secretary reported that he had now received from the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation the full accounts for the voyage of this ship from Alexandria and the sale of the condemned cargo. It was decided that the accounts should be sent to the Assistant Paymaster-General, and that he should be informed that, subject to his observations, the Committee proposed to approve the expenses incurred by the bank and to forward the account to Alexandria for the consideration of the Court. When a reply had been received from the Assistant Paymaster-General the bank should be informed accordingly, and should be told that the Court would decide as to the payment of the proceeds of the sale of With the concurrence of the Assistant Paymaster-General the condemned cargo. the bank should also be asked to state what had happened to fifty-seven bags of sweepings referred to in the Orders of the Court. Mr. Hipwood should be asked if he could state whether the price realized by the sale of the soya beans was satisfactory.
16. The Shipwrecked Mariners' Society.-The Chairman read a letter from this Society with regard to their expenses in connexion with ships in the coasting trade. The Society pointed out that, whereas the Committee's subscriptions amounted to £31 10s., their disbursements had been £114. The Committee agreed that a donation of £100 should be given to the Society, if this was approved by the Treasury.
17. Inventories. The Committee decided that the reports which had been received from their managers with regard to the inventories taken at the time when
MINUTES.
the ships were taken over should be sent to Mr. Bebb to look at, and he should be asked if he had any observations to make. The Committee recommended that oversea Governments, with the exception of the Self-governing Dominions, should be asked what action had been taken by the Marshals with regard to the taking of inventories:
(a) At the time that the ship came into the Marshal's hands.
As
(b) At the time that the ships were handed over to the Committee's agents. 18. 3.0. Carl."-The Committee approved the payment of £49 148. 3d. to Messrs. C. W. Kellock and Company for making an inventory of this ship. Messrs. Kellock were the Committee's agents it was decided that Mr. Starkey could not be asked to pay any portion of this bill.
19. 5.S.
C
Emir."-The Secretary reported that the Port of London Authority had now offered to refund two weeks' rent charged in respect of the cotton sold ex this ship. The Committee accepted this offer.
20.
s.s. "George R."-The Secretary read a letter from Messrs. Tyzack and Branfoot with regard to the two-thirds of 5 per cent. commission taken by Messrs. Porter and Henderson. Mr. Holt undertook to make inquiries as to the commis- sion payable on the north-east coast.
21. Steamships “Sandakan " and " Chow Tai."-The Committee recommended that the Governor of the Straits Settlements should be asked to pay the balance in his hands due in respect of these ships. It was not thought necessary to repeat to the Governor the remarks made by the Assistant Paymaster-General with regard to the responsibility for certain items of expenditure for which vouchers had not been produced to the local auditors.
22. Steamships Tandem," 'Hamm," and A polda."-Mr. Tennyson reported that he had now received from Messrs. Richards and Sons some correspon- dence which had begun in November, 1914, with regard to the payment of the expenses incurred by the organizers appointed by the Sydney Chamber of Commerce to represent the consignees. The Committee decided that it was not possible to reopen the accounts of these vessels, and that the claim could not be paid by the Committee.
Mr. Tennyson read a despatch which had been received from the Governor- General of the Union of South Africa forwarding a report from the naval Commander-in-Chief with regard to the expenses charged by the Marshal in con- nexion with the 8.8. "Tandem." The Committee recommended that the despatch should be brought up when the general question of Prize Court fees was discussed.
'Barenfels," "Lauterfels," and 23. Steamships "Gutenfels," fels."--The Committee agreed that the accounts for the first voyages of these four ships should be sent to the average adjusters before they were examined by Mr. Bebb. 24. s.s." Senegambia."--The Committee approved the payment of £787 17s. 2d. to Messrs. C. W. Kellock and Company in connexion with the sale of this ship.
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26
"Werden-
was
25. $.S. Kalymnos."-It was agreed that no credit should be placed to the "idle
account of this ship for the value of the coal on board when the ship first taken over by the Committee, since similar action had not been taken in the other ships dealt with by the Committee. This decision reversed that any contained in the last sentence of paragraph 6 of the minutes of the Seventieth Meeting of the Committee.*
case of
26. S.S. Seattle." The Chairman reported that an offer had been received from Mr. P. Fischer for the release of this ship on bail for £125,000. Mr. Fischer The Com- claimed to have bought the ship previously to her seizure as prize. mittee decided that Messrs. Lachlan and Company should be asked to state what was the present value of the ship.
* Page 137 of Miscellaneous No. 312.