MINUTES.
149
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 885
24 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
148
17.
MINUTES.
3.S. "Lucia."—The Secretary was instructed to ask the Admiralty whether they bad yet come to a decision with regard to this ship.
18. 8.8. "Koerber."—Mr. Holt reported that this ship would be ready to sail at the end of the month.
19. s.s. "Kandy," late "Moltkefels."-The Secretary was instructed to inform the Admiralty that this ship would shortly arrive at Sunderland and to ask whether they required her.
20. 8.3.
Diyatalawa," late "Rappenfels."-The Committee agreed that this ship should be loaded homewards by Grahams and Company, and Mr. Holt under- took to ascertain the firm's views in the matter.
21. 8.0.
Bellas."-Dobell and Company bad ascertained that there were 60 standards of timber on board this vessel as part of the original cargo, and not six as stated in the Governor-General's telegram. The Committee recommended that if this timber could not be discharged it should be requisitioned and brought to this country for sale or sold to Dobell and Company.
22.
8.3.
"Haidar Pascha."—A letter had been received from the Transport Department suggesting that the Committee should pay the expense of a survey carried out by W. Reid of the bunker coal and stores on board this ship at Belfast. A similar survey had, in fact, been made by Messrs. Kellock and Company for the Committee. Mr. Holt undertook to make inquiries from Messrs. Galbraith, Pembroke and Company with regard to the matter.
66
23. 3.8. Concadoro."-The Committee considered another letter from the purchasers of this ship appealing for an allowance in respect of the alleged error in the statement of the ship's dead weight capacity. It was decided that a letter should be written to the applicants stating that the Committee could not reconsider their decision.
24. 5.8. Ranee.”—The Admiralty had stated that they did not require this ship to be brought back to England. Mr. Holt reported that he had received a telegram from Mr. Somerville, of the Straits Steamship Company, asking for a renewal of the charter* which expires on the 15th of September. It was agreed that Mr. Somerville should be offered a renewal at £500 a month. Mr. Holt undertook to communicate this to him by telegram.
25. Steamships "Gutenfels" and "Barenfels."-A letter had been received from the Foreign Office enclosing a despatch from the High Commissioner for Egypt, asking that the undertakings given by the banks should be allowed to stand as drawn in regard to the charge of interest on the proceeds of sale. The Secretary was instructed to ask Messrs. Waltons to ascertain if the banks were willing to amend their previous letters for this purpose.
26.
4
'Annaberg.". S.S.
"The Admiralty had reported that they could not say when this steamer would arrive in England. It was decided that Messrs. Kellock and Company should be instructed to value her at once.
27. s.o. "Elfriede."-The Committee considered the telegram from Fiji stat- ing that it was unlikely that the vessel could be employed profitably under manage- ment on behalf of the Government, and that it was proposed therefore to sell her at once by public auction without reserve if she was condemned. The Secretary was instructed to ask Messrs. Kellock and Company whether they would recom- mend that this vessel should be sold as she lies in Fiji, and, if not, whether they could fix a reserve price for the vessel. If she was to be sold locally the Government of Fiji should be told to advertise the sale in Australia.
28. s.s. "Emir."-The Committee sanctioned the payment of 188. 2d. to Messrs. Churchill and Sim in respect of sampling charges on the ground nuts sold ex this vessel.
**
29. 8.8. Emil."-The Committee approved the sale bill and forms of covenant and declarations which had been submitted by Messrs. Kellock and Company. It was pointed out that the conditions of sale set out in the bill might have to be revised when arrangements had been concluded with the Belgian Government.
*No. 2 in Appendix B.
30.
8.0.
"Clevedon."―The Secretary reported that authority had been given to the Assistant Paymaster-General to make a payment of £1,500 to Messrs. J. Hardie and Company on account of disbursements.
31. 8.8. Parisian," late "Bethania."The Committee considered again the account which had been transmitted by the Governor of Jamaica for the wages of the crew, upkeep, and repairs to this ship. It was decided that, as the ship had been valued by an undertaking given by the Admiralty at a date some time subse quent to this expenditure, the Admiralty could not be asked to bear any part of the expenses of putting the ship into good condition, the valuation having been made on the assumption that she was in good condition. The Admiralty should, how- ever, be asked to pay all maintenance expenses incurred after the date when the ship was handed over to them. The remaining questions regarding this account should be held over pending a decision as to the fund upon which payment of expenses incurred in connexion with prize ships was to fall, and no communica- tions should be made to the Admiralty with regard to the maintenance expenses above referred to pending this decision.
1309
THE SEVENTY-SIXTH MEETING of the Committee was held at the Colonial Office on Monday, the 30th of August, 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. W. J. EVANS, Admiralty.
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, subject to certain alterations under paragraphs 9, 15, 24, and 29.
2. Steamships "Ranee," "Chow Tai," and "Sandakan."-Mr. Holt reported the progress of the negotiations with the Straits Steamship Company for the charter of the 8.8. "Ranee."
The Committee recommended that the Governor of the Straits Settlements should be asked for a reply to the telegram inquiring what arrangements had been made for the renewal of the charter of the steamships "Chow Tai" and
Sandakan."
3.
8.8. "Marquis Bacquehem."-Mr. Holt reported that this ship had com- pleted her discharge on the 28th of August, and the Secretary informed the Com- mittee that the Transport Department had promised to give an early decision as to whether the ship was required for transport purposes. The Committee decided that the Secretary should again ask the Transport Department for an early answer, as the expenses on the ship were running up, and should point out that, as she was a detained ship, she would in the normal course be handed over for any purpose for which she could be employed.
*
4. 8.0. Yawry."-Mr. Holt informed the Committee of the report which had been received from the British Consul at Dakar as to the relations between the new captain and his officers. The Committee approved the action which had been taken to secure an investigation of the facts by means of a Naval Court.
The Committee recommended that a despatch which had been received from the Governor of Sierra Leone relative to the fouling of the anchors should be sent to Messrs. Houlder, Middleton and Company with a request that they would obtain a report on the subject from Captain Milman.
The Committee considered a claim from Ernst Hintz for wages due to him from the 7th of July, 1914. They decided that this claim should be dealt with in the same way as similar claims already received.