PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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24 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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register without the consent of the Admiralty, and to report at once to the Admiralty any transaction of an important nature.
11. Steamships "Chow-tai" and “Sandakan."-The Secretary reported that the charters arranged by the local Government for these two ships expired on the 8th of July, and that the Colonial Office had no information as to any action which The Committee recommended that a tele- had been taken since that date. gram should be sent to the Governor of the Straits Settlements asking what was being done and naming a minimum figure for any further charter, the figure to be settled by Mr. Holt.
12. Cargo at Alexandria in which the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Cor- poration are interested.-The Committee approved the draft of a memorandum which had been prepared by Mr. Malkin embodying the terms of an arrangement with the bank.
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THE SIXTY-NINTH MEETING of the Committee was held at the Colonial Office on Thursday, the 22nd of July, 1915, at 3.15 p.m.
The following members were present:-
VICE-ADMIRAL SIR E. J. W. SLADE, K.C.I.E., K.C.V.O. (Chairman)
MR. G. L. BARSTOW, C.B., Treasury.
MR. C. HIPWOOD, Board of Trade.
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).
1. The minutes of the previous meeting were confirmed.
2. Steamships "Kalymnos" and "Paros."-The Committee were informed of
the loss of the first mentioned ship and of the repairs required to the second.
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3. 8.8. Græcia." Mr. Holt reported to the Committee that this ship was lying in the Downs, having been warned by the Admiralty that it was unsafe to go to Calais. The Transport Department were anxious to obtain her for oleum as soon as possible, and they had been informed that if they could settle with the charterers they might take over the ship without further delay. They had also been informed that the Committee had no interest in the ship beyond the freight, since it had already been agreed that she would be transferred. The Secretary added that he had asked the Transport Department to inform the Committee in writing of the steps which were eventually taken.
The Secretary reported that this ship had been valued by Messrs. C. W. Kellock The Secretary and Company at £22,500, exclusive of consumable stores and coal. was to write to the Transport Department and ask that a valuation of the consum- able stores and coal be made when the ship was taken over, as it had been impossible to value them before the conclusion of the voyage to Calais.
4. Steamships “Haidar Pascha" and "Derfflinger."-The Secretary reported that these ships had been valued by Messrs. C. W. Kellock and Company at £85.000 and £180,000, respectively. It was agreed that the valuation was correct in exclud- ing the value of the consumable stores.
5. 8.8. "Istria."-The Secretary reported that Messrs. Lachlan and Company had valued this ship at £67,530, which included two chronometers, but excluded all consumable stores. It was agreed that, as the ship was to be taken over by the Trans- port Department direct from the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, the Committee were not interested in the value of the consumable stores on board at the time. The Secretary was instructed, however, to ascertain what arrangements had been made for valuing the consumable stores on board when the ship was taken over at Alexandria by Messrs. Houlder, Middleton and Company, as agents for the
bank.
6.
8.0.
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Bellas," Mr. Holt reported that the proposed charterers were anxious The Committee recommended that the that the ship should be shortly available. Governor-General of Canada should be asked when the arrangements for providing
a crew would be completed.
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7. 8.8. Marina."-Mr. Holt raised the question as to whether there should be any agreement for the charter of this ship to Messrs. Elder Dempster and Company. It was decided that the latter should be asked to write a letter embodying the terms agreed upon.
8. 8.8. "Lutzow."-The Secretary reported that he had been informed by Messrs. Lachlan and Company that they had had a considerable amount of additional work in connexion with the inventory which they were required to make for the Transport Department. The Committee were inclined to think that there might be some reason for allowing additional remuneration in this case, but if so it was a matter between Messrs. Lachlan and Company and the Transport Department.
9. Application from the Anglo-Persian Oil Company for a further steamer.— The Company applied for the use of a further ship on the ground that they were required to load urgent war material to the Persian Gulf for the Admiralty. After some discussion the Committee decided that it might be possible to place the steam- ship "Senegambia" at the Company's disposal, as this ship could neither be sold nor transferred to the Transport Department until an agreement had been reached Mr. Holt was asked to see with the French Government as to her adjudication.
Mr. Strick on the subject.
10. 8.8.
"Tandem."-The Committee considered a letter from the Federal Steam Navigation Company making proposals for the employment of this ship after It was decided that the ship should be the discharge of her cargo at Marseilles. brought home with such cargo as could be obtained, and Mr. Holt was to discuss the question with Mr. Hughes. The Secretary was to write to the Admiralty saying that the ship was expected in about four weeks' time and that it was proposed to sell her unless she were urgently required for military purposes.
11. Insurance of Cargoes.-The Secretary raised the following points in con- nexion with the forms which had been received from the Governor of Gibraltar, giving particulars of the cargo insurable under the Committee's cover:—
(a) Cargo dealt with under the Reprisals Order in Council --The Secretary was to ask the Admiralty Marshal whether similar cargo in the United Kingdom was insured.
(b) Cargo commandeered.—It was agreed that the cargo came off the risk when it was commandeered. The premium, however, should not be paid until the cargo had been finally adjudicated, since, if released, the individual to whom it was released would have to pay the premium. The Governor should be asked for a further report on the consignment.
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(c) Condemned cargo ex Syra."-The premium would be payable from the Committee's account and the Attorney-General of Gibraltar should be reminded that he should include it in his accounts. (d) Condemned cargo ex been done with this consignment.
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Italia."-The Governor should be asked what had
(e) Cargo ex“ Wearbridge," which had been sold. The question of premium must wait until this consignment had been adjudicated.
(f) Condemned cargo ex “Emir,” subsequently released or reserved for further consideration. The Committee agreed that cargo included in both these categories was not insurable since the cargo had been condemned.
(g) Cargo ex "E. K. Venizelos."-The Committee saw no objection to this cargo remaining insured during the voyage from Gibraltar to Malta if it was convenient to continue the insurance.
The Committee discussed the question as to whether all the above points were within their terms of reference. It was decided that when full particulars had been obtained from Gibraltar a letter should be written to the Treasury stating that, although the Committee did not consider them within their terms of reference, they had discussed the questions as being cognate to the matters with which the Com- mittee was empowered to deal, and that their recommendations were submitted for the consideration of the Treasury.