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THE NINETY-fifth Meeting of the Committee was held at the Colonial Office at 8.15 p.m., on Monday, 17th January, 1916.

1.

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. WAKELEY, India Office.

MR. T. H. HOLT, Crown Agents.

MR. C. TENNYSON, C.M.G., Colonial Office, acting as Secretary in Mr.

Wiseman's absence.

Minutes of the Ninety-fourth Meeting were confirmed.

2. Steamships " Hillerod," "Esrom," and "Seattle."-The Committee decided that an application should be made to the Court to have these vessels appraised if this had not already been done, and that the ships should not be insured during their employment except against protection and indemnity risks.

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8. * 8. Kankakee." The Secretary reported that the Admiralty and Foreign Office had concurred in this ship being loaded home from the Mediterranean by the Committee. Mr. Holt reported that he had fixed her for ore from Port Breira to

the Tyne.

4.

8.8. Lorenzo."-The Committee approved Messrs. Farrar Groves and Com. pany's proposal that they should be allowed to retain the amount due from them on the accounts of this steamer until the arrival home of the "Grahamland," they having already disbursed about £3,267 in respect of the latter steamer.

5. 8.8.

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Verdala."-The Committee decided that the arrangements for the transhipment of the cargo of logwood from this ship at Cardiff should be put in the hands of Messrs. William Mathwin and Son.

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6. 8.8. Polkerris," ex Adolphus."-The Committee decided that this ship should be sold on the 17th of February, and that she might be used by the Coasting Trade Office until the 7th of February if freight could be found. The Secretary was directed to make the necessary arrangements.

Mr. Malkin undertook to see that the necessary action was taken with regard to possible Italian bidders.

The Committee considered the Conditions of Sale, and decided that the defini- tion of "enemy" should be amended so as to include any person who is, or is treated as, an enemy under any enactment for the time being in force.

7. Steamships Gutenfels," Barenfels," Diyatalawa,"

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Kandy," and Hunnie." The Committee considered a letter from the India Office, dated the 13th of January, regarding the freights on these vessels, and approved the proposals contained therein.

8. 8.8. Koerber." -The Secretary reported that Messrs. Holland and Company had recovered £14 2s. 10d. from the stevedores for the one keg of nitrate of potash short delivered ex this steamer.

9. Grahams and Company: Enlistment of Staff.-The Committee considered a letter from Messrs. Grahams and Company with regard to exemption of certain members of their staff from enlistment.

The Secretary was directed to reply that the Committee would be glad to answer any questions which His Majesty's Procurator-General might address to them on the subject.

10. Volume of Minutes of Proceedings. The Committee approved the terms of the report which had been received from the Secretary of the Admiralty Coasting Trade Office with regard to the work of that office during the year 1915.

11.

8.v. "Llandaff."--The Secretary reported that this ship was posted for inquiry at Lloyd's.

THE NINETY-SIXTH MEETING of the Committee was held at the Colonial Office on Monday, 24th January, 1918, 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. T. H. HOLT, Crown Agents.

MR. C. TENNYSON, C.M.G. (acting as Secretary in the absence of

Mr. Wiseman).

MR BEBR was present during the discussion of Nos. 3 and 4.

1. The minutes of the Ninety-fifth Meeting were confirmed.

2. 8.8.

The

'Diyatalawa.”—The Committee decided that this ship should not come home in ballast, but should load a cargo of cotton-seed from Egypt. India Office should be informed accordingly.

3. Treasury Minute with regard to writing off Losses.-The Committee delegated to their Secretary or Acting Secretary, and the Accounting Officer delegated to the Clerk in Charge of Accounts, the power of writing off any losses not exceeding one-tenth of the amount mentioned in the schedule to the Treasury minute of the 12th January, 1916,* as the maximum amount which the Committee might write off for a loss of the class in question, subject to the follow- ing exceptions :---

(a) Cases where there might be a suspicion of culpable negligence, fraud, or misconduct, on the part of the agents of the Committee, must be reserved for the Committee.

(b) Losses of Class IV. in the schedule were to be delegated to the officers above-mentioned up to the full amount specified in the schedule for losses of that class.

The officers mentioned were, however, to report to the Committee any case in which a point of principle might be involved.

4.

Accounts (a).-The Committee considered their Statement of Accounts up to 31st December, 1915. This showed a net balance of £396,297 48. 10d., and a credit in respect of the Transport Department's undertaking of £2,280,676 0s. 9d. (b) 8.s." Schneefels."-The Committee decided that the expenses of the voyage from Gibraltar to New York and Boston, chargeable against the representatives of the cargo-owners under the agreement with them, should be put at £9,153 108. 7d., if the Accounting Officer concurred in that figure.

(0) 8.3. 'Rajaburi.”—The Committee considered a letter from the Assistant Paymaster-General with regard to a sum of $220 for zinc plates for the boilers of this ship. They decided that no claim should be made against Mr. Roberts for this amount, but that the amount should be refunded to the Governor of Hong Kong out of the Committee's funds.

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(d) 8.8. Helgoland."—The Committee decided that the Assistant Pay- master-General might ascertain the rate of exchange over Amsterdam for the purpose of paying the rent for the submarine signalling apparatus on this and other vessels, by consulting the reports given in The Times at the time of payment.

(e) Insurance Fund.-The Committee decided that the gross amount of the premium payable on detained ships should be debited to the idle account of the ship in each case, and that the amount of the commission refunded by the brokers should be credited to the Insurance Fund in these cases and in the case of ships on time charter.

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