PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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Reference :-
C.O. 885
∞
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
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but this would not have transferred the charge to the next financial year if the Island Government had not greatly underestimated the cost, thus necessitating a reference back; they further did not telegraph the reply as suggested by us, and their letter reached us more than six weeks after our question was sent. In the third case, the Island Government ordered "blasting powder" for firing salutes; blasting powder would be quite unfit for such a purpose, and we supplied the proper powder; the cost exceeded the estimate, but the variation was a necessary one. The Government, however, appear indifferent to the consideration that they ordered the wrong article and that we took pains to send the right one. In the case of the shipment of silver," the difficulty arose from the Colonial Authorities not having adhered to our directions. We made a most favourable contract, and advised the Government to ship the coin at its intrinsic value, while we covered it by insurance for its face value.
The Government disregarded our advice and shipped at face value, which disclosed to the ship the real nature of the transaction, and lead to their refusing to complete their contract. The loss that ensued was due to the action of the Government and not to any mismanagement on our part.
•
The fifth case relates to a breakage of certain glass, and the complaint of the Island Government appears to be that we failed to make an arrangement with the suppliers by which any of the glass which might be broken in transit would be replaced This, it is observed, is an arrangement which it is understood can be obtained by private firms without great difficulty. We have never heard of any such arrangement ourselves, and several first-class firms of whom we have enquired have informed us that they never undertake export business on such a condition. It is obvious that any merchant who undertook to cover the risk of breakage would be in the position of an insurer, and would charge heavily for the insurance. We can, of course, effect insurance on fragile articles whenever à Colonial Government is willing to pay the rates required, but we do not recommend that this should be done. In the next case, the “ road rollers were shipped according to the specification, which, however, considering the kind of road the rollers were intended for, was inadequate; the complaint in this case is practically that we did not point out that the specification was for an unsuitable roller, but we were given no particulars of the circumstances under which the rollers were to be used.
33
The High Commissioner of the Federated Malay States sends correspondence respecting the state in which three locomotives were received. This is a matter which is still under enquiry, and we cannot comment upon it at present.
This observation also applies to the correspondence concerning alleged defects in rails, which we may remark were supplied in 1896, and, therefore, do not fall within the limit of time prescribed by the Secretary of State.
At the most, however, these are complaints against inspectors, and not against us. The Governor of the Falkland Islands states that, although at times there appears to be some unnecessary delay in complying with requisitions, on the whole the requirements of the Government are executed with commendable care and accuracy. He observes, however, that the prices paid by us are often in excess of the prices paid by the War Office and Admiralty for similar stores. No instances are given in illustration of this statement, and as usual where only a general remark is made, we are not sure how it has been arrived at. Whenever an article is obtained from the War Office which is specified in the " Priced Vocabulary of Stores," and is available for issue, that price and nothing more is paid by us to the War Office; if, however, the article is not available for issue, but has to be obtained from the trade or made in the Ordnance Factories, then the War Office charge 5 per cent. for departmental Enclosure expenses and cost of inspection. A copy is enclosed, of the letter from the War F..June 14, Office fixing that rate. On these occasions, therefore, the price paid may exceed that shown in the Vocabulary. These may be the cases referred to by. Mr. Grey-Wilson; but the Vocabulary gives the prices charged by the War Office as a vendor and not those paid by it as a purchaser. If a comparison is intended between articles which we buy from the trade and articles specified in the Vocabulary, it must be remembered that the War Office price means the War Office pattern, and that if something in any respect different is required, the article must be specially made, and costs more. Generally speaking, we believe that we obtain as good terms from manufacturers as the War Office do, and the contractors are to a large extent the same in both cases; in the absence of any definite examples of what the Governor refers to, we cannot
1893.
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reply more definitely to his question. With regard to the suggestion as to the pur- 85 chase of articles involving artistic taste, we are always most happy to entrust the selection to any person named by à Colonial Government, executing only the routine business ourselves.
The replies which we have to deal with in this letter do not appear to us to call for any modification of the general observations which we submitted in our previous letter. We may observe shortly that they confirm our impression that the respective functions and responsibilities of ourselves as agents and of the actual vendors are sometimes not properly distinguished, and we would wish to assure the Colonial Authorities that in all cases in which contractors appear to be in default, we press them to make reparation with as much insistence as is possible. Numerous cases have been shown in which reparation has been made on our demand, but it cannot be expected that a contractor will always accede to a claim when there is no specific evidence of fault or negligence on his part; and it is not desirable that he should do so, as, if compensation were exacted in all cases, contractors would take this into account in their tenders, and the result would be that the buyer of goods would in all cases have to pay a higher price for them than their intrinsic value required.
I have, &c.,
GENTLEMEN,
Enclosure "A" in No. 38.
W. H. MERCER.
Messrs. HOBSON AND SONS to CROWN AGENTS.
British Honduras-Constabulary-Reqn. 25191.
1, Lexington Street, Golden Square, W., September 25, 1897. WITH reference to the delay in executing this order, although not completed until 29th July, we made deliveries on 22nd April (212 garments), 10th May (165 garments), 21st May (93 garments), and the delay in executing the remainder of the order was owing to exceptional and extreme pressure of business, consequent upon the large number of Colonial troops arriving in London for the Diamond Jubilee; we refused a good many orders, but as we hold a large number of contracts in the Colonies, and we were, of course, compelled to outfit these detachments, and our work-people were utterly unable to cope with the rush of work, we did our very best, and we trust you will forego any fines for delay which we may have incurred, as, any amount, however small, is deducted from the cutting prices which we have to put in for your contracts, it means a loss on the order.
if
We are enlarging our factories at the present moment, and can assure you such delay will not occur in the future.
With promises of our best services at all times,
GENTLEMEN,
We are, &c.,
HOBSON AND SONS.
Enclosure "B" in No. 38.
Messrs. DAVID ROWELL AND COMPANY to CROWN AGENTS. British Honduras-Req. 50.
31, Old Queen Street, Westminster, S.W., March 26, 1902.
In reply to your favour of the 19th instant, as we informed you in ours of the 17th instant, we really have no explanation to offer as to why the fencing materials were sent black varnished instead of galvanised as ordered. It was a pure accident, which we extremely regret, and for which we tender our sincere apologies.
We are, of course, particularly anxious to meet the Colonial Government in every way possible, in order to remove any bad impression which they may entertain concerning us, owing to our mistake.
We would remark that the wire, together with the hook bolts and screw staples, were duly galvanised, and the difference in value between galvanised standards and pillars and varnished is £3 13s. 5d. lump.