CO885-(25-26) — Page 196

191

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

།།།། ་། །

Reference :--

C.O.885/25

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

22

war.

MINUTES.

10. 5.5. Edna." -Mr. Malkin stated that it was proposed to proceed against this ship on the ground of her transfer from the German flag since the date of the

She had also been concerned in supplying coal to the "Dresden." It was understood that she had on board a cargo of nitrate for Barbados and Martinique, and the Committee thought that she might be taken to those places to discharge the cargo and that she might then load a cargo to the United Kingdom from the West Indies. Mr. Evans undertook that the Admiralty would telegraph to find out whether a prize crew could be provided from H.M.S. "Kent."

The ship should be requisitioned and the proceedings subsequently transferred to this country.

11. Treasury sanction for the Sale of the "Australia" and "Fürth."-The Secretary read a letter from the Treasury giving covering authority for the action taken by the Committee in this respect, and dealing also with the cases of other ships sold on the instructions of the Committee, and approving the action taken by the Committee under the terms of their first report.

The Secretary pointed out that the Treasury letter did not cover the sale of the "Heinz," and the Committee decided that a letter should be sent to the Admiralty on the subject of this ship, and asking them if the Board would agree to the Com- mittee selling any sailing ships which might come under the Committee's control without prior reference to the Admiralty.

12. s.s.

"Montana."--The Committee approved the sale of this ship, if and when condemned, as she lay at Malta, under the revised conditions of sale for steamships.

13. Steamships" Chow Tai" and “ Sandakan.” The report received from the auditors appointed by the local Government to examine the accounts of these ships should be sent to the Assistant Paymaster-General for report.

14. s.s. "Hocking."-The Committee approved the payment of £25 in respect of the protection and indemnity insurances arranged by Mr. Holt.

15. Steamships "Werdenfels," "Lauterfels," "Barenfels," and "Gutenfels." -The Secretary read a report which had been received from Messrs. Grahams as to the position of the accounts of these four ships. In view of the statement of Messrs. Grahams that there was still a considerable portion of the cargoes of the "Werdenfels" and "Lauter fels" to be cleared, the Committee decided that MessTS. Grahams should be informed that it was desirable that the cargo should be disposed of as

it

and as possible, as was incurring charges warehouse rent, and that the position should be explained to the Foreign Office, who should be asked to suggest to the Court at Alexandria that an order for sale should be made in the case of all unreleased cargo not yet disposed of.

soon

แ

44

"

16. Steamships Gibraltar," Rooke," Emir," "Græcia," Adolphus," and "George R."-The Committee approved the payment of £404 98. 7d. to the Admiralty in respect of work done in the Gibraltar dockyard upon these ships.

17.

s.v." Llandaff."-The Committee approved the payment of £450 on account to Messrs. John Stewart and Company.

18. Accounts.-Mr. Bebb reported to the Committee that their balance at the end of February amounted to £511,019 188. 7d., and that the undertaking given by the Transport Department amounted to £2,094,219 3s. 3d.

19. Accounts of Woermann Boats.-Mr. Bebb was present during the discus- sion of this item. Mr. Bebb reported that the work required on the accounts of these ships might be divided into three categories:(a) purely clerical work, which could be done by the Marshal and his staff; (b) technical checks of such items as consumption of coal, etc.; (c) the allocation of the expenses between the Prize Fund and the Exchequer.

He stated that the supervision of (a) and (b) would not involve any consider- able work for himself, but that the work under (c) would take a long time if an accurate apportionment were to be made.

The Committee suggested that all expenses incurred before the dates on which the ships had actually been handed over to the Marshal for custody, should be placed to a separate account, and that the Marshal's ordinary account was only con- cerned with the prize cargo and any expenses after the ships had been so taken

over.

MINUTES.

2223

As regards the account for the period before the ship was handed over to the Marshal, it was understood that no serious amount of work would be involved if the account were drawn up so as to show under separate heads the expenses attributable to the cargo on the above basis and those attributable to the ship The account should also show the amount of freight actually paid by the released cargo and the amount of freight which would be paid by the prize cargo if freight at the ordinary rate were charged and deducted from the proceeds of sale. the account had been checked, and the allocation of expenses made under such headings as might be required, the Marshal would then be in a position to consider what action should be taken to meet the portion of the charges not already paid by the released cargo.

When

As it appeared that an arrangement on these lines would avoid any elaborate calculation of the portion of the expenses to be borne by the Prize or other fund, and that the work referred to under (a) and (b) of the categories mentioned by Mr. Bebb would not be a difficult matter, the Committee saw no objection to Mr. Bebb undertaking the supervision of these accounts for the Admiralty Marshal. it being of course understood that they were in no way responsible for the accounts as so rendered.

2119

THE ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTH MEETING of the Committee was held at the Colonial Office on Monday, 20th March, 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. H. W. MALKIN, Foreign 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 alterations under 7 and 12.

"

2. 8.8. Grahamland.'

"The Secretary reported that a letter had been sent to the Agent-General for British Columbia asking whether he could confirm the arrangements under which the vessel had been rechartered by the Cameron Lumber Company. Mr. Holt stated that he had been advised by Messrs. Waltons that the Committee had no legal power to retain the excess freight payable according to the hills of lading issued by the Cameron Lumber Company.

3. 8.0. "Clevedon." The Committee approved a proposal by Messrs. Waltons and Company that they should be authorized to settle the claim of the Falmouth Towage Company up to a maximum of £75, and, failing agreement, that the matter should be referred for arbitration to one of the junior Admiralty counsel.

C

4. 5.5. Avra." The Secretary reported that from the minutes of the Con- traband Committee it appeared that this ship had been placed in the Prize Court. The Committee recommended that particulars should be obtained from the Procurator-General, with a view to ascertaining whether she could be utilized pending the decision of the Court.

It was

5. 8.8. Salandha da Gama."-The Secretary reported that the Procurator- General had asked whether the Committee desired to requisition this ship, and that he had asked the Admiralty Coasting Trade Office to examine her. understood that the Foreign Office wished to be consulted officially before an application was made for the requisitioning of the ship if she were found suitable for employment in the coasting trade.

6. Steamships "Hamm" and " Apolda." Mr. Tennyson reported that under the arrangements already approved it was possible that the present employment