PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 885
24 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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MINUTES.
4. s.s. "Koerber." (a) The Committee reported that the prices quoted to the Admiralty Contracts Department for the tin and brass ex this vessel were £171 per ton for the tin and £52 10s. per ton for the brass. The Committee decided that if the Admiralty would not accept these rates the metals should be sold through Messrs. Churchill and Sim.
(b) The Scientific Collection. The Committee considered a letter from Colonel Prain agreeing to retain custody of the botanic portion of this collection until the end of the war if necessary, and asking who would pay the cost of its transport from the docks to Kew. It was decided that Messrs. Holland should pay this cost and include it in the accounts of the voyage, and that Colonel Prain should be told that he would be expected to refund the amount if the collection were ultimately sold to Kew.
5. s.t. "Neath."--The Committee considered a letter from Messrs. William Richards and Sons regarding the value of this vessel for the purpose of general average. They agreed that the value of the ship might be taken at the figure named by Messrs. Richards, namely, £29,938.
6. s.s. "Emir."-Mr. Holt reported that this vessel had now arrived at Liver- pool, after suffering considerable damage. The Secretary was instructed to offer her to the Transport Department in the ordinary course before any directions were given as to repairing her.
7. 3.3. Kandy."-The Committee approved Messrs. Kellock and Company's revised charge of £32 16s. 8d. for the valuation of this steamer.
8. 8.0.
'Chile."-Captain Greatorex attended the Committee and undertook to inform the Senior Naval Officer at Belfast and Captain Bartelott at Glasgow that this ship was a Government vessel and that everything possible should be done for her salvage.
แ Esrom," Hillerod," and "Bangor."-The Com- 9. Steamships “ Alwina," mittee approved the terms of letters which the Secretary had addressed to the Foreign Office and Treasury with regard to the first three of these steamers, They suggesting that they might be requisitioned for use in the coasting trade. agreed that if the proposals were approved by the Departments mentioned a similar course should be taken with the "Bangor" as soon as she had been delivered to the Marshal.
10.
s.s." Gibraltar."-The Committee approved the terms of the letter which the Colonial Office were proposing to send to the High Commissioner of Canada with regard to the refund of through freight on the original voyage for this vessel.
11. 8.8. Kawak." "-(a) The Committee agreed that the date of transfer to the Admiralty should be taken as the date of the Transport Department's telegram to Messrs. Knott and Company.
(b) The Committee approved the payment of Messrs. Lachlan and Company's account for £6 2s. 1d. for expenses in connexion with the proposed sale of the vessel.
(c) The Committee agreed that the payment of £149 148. 11d. to the Accountant-General of the Navy in respect of the lifeboats supplied to this ship at Plymouth should be debited to the insurance fund in the Committee's accounts.
12. Requisitioning of Detained Ships-(a) The Committee considered the correspondence between the Foreign Office and various Departments with regard to The the valuation of, and compensation to be given for, detained enemy ships. Secretary was directed to inform the Foreign Office of all cases in which detained enemy ships under their control had been valued, and of the basis of the valuation, and also to give particulars of cases in which money had been expended in putting the ships into condition. Particulars with regard to the coasting trade ships should be obtained from Colonel Leslie.
(b) The Committee decided that the correspondence between Mr. Malkin and the Procurator at Alexandria should be brought up for consideration when the new Prize Courts Bill was passed.
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13. 8.3. Grahamland."-The Committee considered a letter received by the Foreign Office from the British Ambassador at Washington with regard to the coaling of this vessel in the Panama Canal.
MINUTES.
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14. Condemned and Detained Ships calling at Neutral Ports.-The Committee considered certain correspondence sent by the Foreign Office regarding the German Government's instructions to its representatives to put forward claims to vessels of this kind which might come into neutral ports. The Committee recommended that the substance of this correspondence should be communicated to the Government of the Straits Settlements, and directed the Secretary to ascertain whether those of the Committee's vessels which were under time charter could, under the terms of the charter parties, be taken into neutral ports.
15. 8.0. "Llandaff."-The Committee considered letters received from the first and second officers of this vessel claiming certain personal effects alleged to have been on board. The Secretary was directed to refer the letters to the Admiralty Marshal, with such information on the subject as was in the Committee's possession. from the Assistant 16.
Accounts.-The Committee considered a letter Paymaster-General asking up till what date the insurance under the scheme for the insurance of uninsured risks should be regarded as running on ships sold by the Committee. It was decided that the risk should be regarded as continuing until the fall of the hammer at the auction sale in each case.
1636
THE NINETY-FIRST MEETING of the Committee was held at the Colonial Office
on Monday, 13th December, 1915, at 3.30 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. G. L. BARSTOW, C.B., Treasury.
MR. H. W. MALKIN, Foreign Office.
MR. L. D. WAKELY, India Office.
MR. C. TENNYSON, C.M.G., Colonial Office (who acted as Secretary in
the absence of Mr. Wiseman).
MR. T. H. HOLT, Crown Agents.
1. The minutes of the previous meeting were confirmed.
2. Steamships "Hamborn" and "Hocking."-The Committee approved the proposal to charter these two steamers to France with wheat. They decided that Messrs. Pickford and Black should be instructed to collect a crew in readiness for the completion of the discharge of the "Hamborn." Arrangements should be made for the provisional registration of the two ships.
"Jose-
3. Tonnage for logwood.—The Committee approved a letter which had been written by the Secretary to the Transport Department asking that the 8.8. phina" might be put at their disposal to bring logwood from Jamaica.
"Alwina," Esrom," and 4. Steamships
"Hillerod."-The instructed the Secretary, subject to Treasury concurrence, to make the necessary arrangements for requisitioning these vessels for use in the coal trade.
"
Committee
5. 8.8. "Seattle," late " Bangor."-The Committee decided that application should be made to the Foreign Office and the Treasury for leave to requisition this vessel for employment in the coal trade, pending adjudication, immediately she had been handed over to the Marshal.
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6. 8.8. Proton."-The Committee considered a letter which had been received from the Admiralty stating that this ship had been requisitioned at Alexandria by the military authorities for use as a provision ship.
7. 8.8.
**
Senegambia."-The Committee instructed the Secretary to write to the Foreign Office stating that this vessel had now been condemned by the Court at Hong Kong and asking what should be done with her.
was
8. Detained German ships under demise charter.-The Secretary instructed to inform the China Navigation Company of the intercepted correspon- dence relating to the proposal by the German Government to assist seizure of detained German vessels which might call at neutral ports, and to warn the