CO885-(25-26) — Page 192

187

15

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

ཀཱ ། ། ། །

imic.o.

885/25

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE | BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

14

14.

MINUTES.

Motor schooner "Elfriede." The Committee decided that the Governor of Fiji should be asked to explain why so large a sum had been spent in the main- tenance of this ship during the period that she was lying at Suva previously to her sale. The Assistant Paymaster-General should, however, first be asked whether he had any further observations to make on the account.

15. Ships at Zanzibar.-A list of detained lighters and dhows at Zanzibar was discussed by the Committee.

The Secretary reported that from a previous telegram it appeared that the lighters had been in use before they had been requisitioned, and that they would not be insurable under the Committee's cover. The Committee considered that it was not worth while insuring the dhows. They recommended, however, that a report should be obtained from the Resident at Zanzibar as to the fire on the 16th of May, which appeared to have damaged some of the dhows.

1976

THE ONE HUNDREDTH MEETING of the Committee was held at the Colonial Office on Monday, 21st February, 1916, 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. 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 an alteration. under head 5 and an alteration under head 7.

2. 8.0.

Chile," The Committee approved the payment of £750 to Mr. T. A. Shute on account of his disbursements.

The Secretary read a letter from Messrs. Glanvill, Enthoven and Company reporting that the Salvage Association and the underwriters were unable to reconsider their previous decision not to pay more than fifty per cent. of the damage to the rudder of this ship. Having regard to the opinion expressed by Messrs. Glanvill, Enthoven, and to the other circumstances of the case, the Committee decided to accept the proposal of the underwriters. A note was, however, to be made with a view to the recovery of the remainder of the loss sustained by the Committee from the original German owner when the question arose of handing back the ship or its value.

3. Order in Council of the 15th February, 1916, for Licensing of Ships.— The Committee discussed the position of their ships under this Order in Council. The Secretary was requested to advise the Coasting Trade Office of the need for obtaining a licence for ships affected by the Order after the 1st of March.

4. 8.8. “Kankakee.”—The Committee considered the suggestion from the Assistant Paymaster-General that 18,000 francs should be paid to Messrs. J. and Em. Frisch on account, but decided that the account should be further considered, and, if necessary, submitted to the Transport Department before the payment was authorized.

The Secretary reported that an application was being made to the Court for the requisition of the steamer for use in the coasting trade.

The Committee approved the refund of 68. to the Secretary in connexion with affidavits made on the occasion of applying for the requisition of this ship and of the steamships "Hillerod," "Esrom," and "Seattle.”

5. s.s. "Hocking."-The Committee were informed that the "Hocking" was expected to sail that day from Brest. They approved the payment of £550 to M. J. Le Depensier on account of his disbursements on the ship.

MINUTES.

The Committee approved the sale, at 50 centimes apiece, of 4,000 bags for stowage bought in Halifax.

6.

"C

3.8. Senegambia."-The Committee approved the reserve for this ship at the auction being fixed at £30,000. Mr. Malkin reported that arrangements had been made for the Italians to bid at the sale.

7. 8.8.

"Polkerris."-The Secretary reported the sale of this ship for £26,000 to M. Veyrat. It was decided that the ship should be handed over to the purchaser (who had already paid the whole of the purchase money) when the Foreign Office were satisfied by the Embassy that the certificate required under clause 9 of the conditions of sale would be forthcoming.

It was decided that the amount realized by the sale of the coal and unbroached provisions should be put to the trading account in the Committee's books, and that the whole of the undertaking given by the Transport Department in connexion with this ship and the stores should be regarded as cancelled.

The Committee approved a draft to the Transport Department stating that no claim would be made under the undertaking in connexion with the damage which Messrs. Lachlan and Company had reported to have taken place since the ship had been handed over to the Transport Department in August last.

The Committee approved the proposal to inform the Governor of Gibraltar

of the amount realized by the sale of this ship, and to add that the Secretary of State proposed to address him at a later date with regard to the general question of the fees payable out of the proceeds.

8. s.s. "Terpsichore."-Mr. Holt reported that this ship had arrived at He had given Halifax, having been considerably damaged during the voyage. instructions that the minimum amount of repairs necessary was to be effected.

9. s.s. "Syra." The Committee approved the payment of £1,414 5s. 9d. to Messrs. Tyzack and Branfoot, in respect of the further sum due by the steamer as its share of the general average.

10. 8.8. "Koerber." The Committee considered that the money received by the sale of 1,618 slabs of tin should be transferred to the Admiralty Marshal to hold for the account of the Marshal at Alexandria, and that the accounts for the sale should be forwarded to the Foreign Office for transmission to the latter.

11. 8.8. Tergestea."-The Secretary read to the Committee a report on the loss of this ship.

12. 5.3.

<<

Proton."-The Secretary reported that this ship had now been con- demned as prize. The Committee recommended that the Foreign Office should telegraph to find out whether any valuation of the ship had been made at the time of her requisition by the military authorities for the purposes of the undertaking to the Court.

Euterpe."

13. Motor Boat

"The Committee did not consider that it was necessary to make inquiries of the Government of Malta as to this ship.

8.8.

14. "Franz Fischer."-The Committee approved the payment of a for their services gratuity of £15 to the master and crew of the 8.8. "Paul

They also approved the in rescuing three of the crew of the "Franz Fischer."

"Paul" in respect of his claim for payment of £112 to the master of the s.s. demurrage and other losses suffered by him in consequence of his action in this connexion.

15. 8.8. "Istria."-The Secretary stated that he had heard from the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation that they had now sold the cargo of soya beans ex this ship. The Committee agreed that the bank should be asked to make a payment on account.

16. 8.8. "Seattle."--The Committee agreed that, having regard to a report which had been obtained by Mr. Holt as to the condition of the furnaces and to the fact that the master was satisfied that the original defect was an old trouble, no inquiry need be made on the subject of the Governor of the Falkland Islands.

17. 5.8. "Diana.”—The Committee approved the charter of this ship to the Nigerian Government for six months, or the duration of the War. if less. They

1

16

MINUTES.