PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
PELTIC.O. 885
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24 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
14
BERMUDA.
Bermuda by the first ship I could catch and arrived on the 7th instant, and found that all necessary precautions and Proclamations had been made. Martial law is now in force and is working well.
2. There is little doubt that the war will for some time affect the revenues and prosperity of the Colony. The steamship companies, viz., the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company and the Quebec Steamship Company, Limited, have most unwar- rantably raised their freight charges by 50 per cent. and 100 per cent. respectively. using as an excuse the increased insurance charges. But the present increase of those charges does not in any way justify the enormous increase in freight, and I am doing my best to combat them."
3. The passage to New York and northern ports at present is comparatively safe and the ships are running regularly, yet the Bermudian" has brought this week only 92 tourists as compared with a normal 250. I hope the steps I am taking will soon restore confidence, while the Naval Commander-in-Chief in the West Atlantic, Rear-Admiral Sir Christopher Cradock, ought to remove all apprehension as to the safety of the route.
I
4. I have been fortunate in securing a very energetic and able Assistant Provost-Marshal in the person of Captain A. H. Hopwood, 2nd Lincolnshire Regiment, and have all persons likely to give trouble under close surveillance. have 47 prisoners of wai, German naval and military reservists, under custody. Other Germans I am allowing to leave the islands if they wish to.
5. I have taken steps to curtail all public expenditure, and public works are practically at a standstill. The issue of Government £1 notes will, I think, meet our currency difficulties. There is a considerable amount of American bullion and dollar notes in circulation in the islands; these, though not a legal tender, meet the requirements of American tourists and residents.
6. I would wish to call attention to the splendid work of all Government officials and volunteers in this crisis, especially of the Colonial Secretary, Mr. Popham Lobb, and the Assistant Colonial Secretary, Mr. F. G. Gosling, who spend night and day continuously at work in the office; of Mr. Gray, the Attorney- General, whose legal knowledge and industry are invaluable, and of Mr. Allan Smith, the Receiver-General, on whom a considerable amount of extra work has fallen, which he is performing with judgment and energy.
The tone of all officials and the public generally is most confident and praise- worthy.
7. My military precautions are practically complete and I am sending a separate report to the War Office. The Volunteers turned out to a man, and are in high spirits and doing excellent work.
We have suffered from a long drought, which luckily broke yesterday in a down- pour of rain and more seems coming.
I have, &c.,
G. M. BULLOCK, Lieut.-General, Governor and Commander-in-Chief.
3.
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BERMUDA.
I enclose herewith, for your inspection, a specimen note, together with six copies of "The Government Notes Act, 1915, No. 5,"* authorizing the issue.
The usual certified copies of the Act will be forwarded in due course. 4. The first issue, to the number of eight thousand, was made through the banks on the 1st instant, and it is improbable that a further issue will be required for some time to come.
5. I am glad to say that it has not been found necessary to legalize United States gold and silver or paper currency.
6. The financial condition of the Colony is, on the whole, considerably better than might have been anticipated. This is due to the maintenance, though on a restricted scale, of the tourist traffic, and to rigid economy in the Public Works Department.
During the seven months ending on the 28th of February, 1915, the number or tourists who visited the Colony was 5,518, as against 12,998 for the corresponding period 1913-1914.
The saving effected on public works during the last five months of 1914 was £12,200, representing 30 per cent. of the total vote for that year.
7.
A secondary factor, which has materially contributed to the stability of local merchants and tradesmen, has been the presence of the Royal Canadian Regiment.
The pay of the men is approximately 4s. 7d. per diem, as compared with the 18. 1d. of a private in a British regiment, and their expenditure is proportionately greater.
8.
I have been advised throughout by a financial conference composed of naval, military, and civil Government representatives, as well as bankers, and I shall keep you informed of any further note issue which they may recommend within the prescribed limit.
I have, &c.,
33164
(No. 341.)
G. M. BULLOCK,
Lieutenant-General,
Governor and Commander-in-Chief.
BRITISH GUIANA.
No. 8.
14501
No. 7.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Received 27th March, 1915.)
(Confidential.)
SIR,
Government House, Bermuda, 10th March, 1915.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Confidential despatch of the 24th of August last,* relative to the issue of Bermuda Government currency notes.
2. In view of the difficulty of printing suitable notes locally, I caused a supply of twenty thousand one-pound notes to be manufactured, under the supervision of the Finance Department of the Government of Canada, by the American Bank Note Company at Ottawa.
* 81888: not printed.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 1st September, 1914.)
Government House, Georgetown, Demerara, SIR,
15th August, 1914. In accordance with instructions received from you in connexion with the out- break of war between Great Britain and the German and Austrian Empires, I have the honour to report that up to the present time I have taken the following action :- 1. Proclamations were issued on the 30th July, 1914, calling out the Active and Reserve Forces of Demerara and Berbice for active military service.
2. Orders dated 29th July, 1914, hastened action for the disbandment of the volunteer companies, and for the raising of a new infantry militia company of 80 strong.
Your approval of this was conveyed in your telegram of the 17th ultimo.
8. A Proclamation dated 2nd August, 1914, notified that His Majesty the King had "ordered and directed the calling out of the Royal Naval Reserves," of whom there is in this Colony only Mr. L. H. J. Tinney, Deputy Harbour Master.
4. Notification was given on the 2nd August, 1914, of the suspension of telegraph and radio-telegraph services throughout the Empire, except as regards messages sent en clair.
*Not reprinted.