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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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MINUTES.

5.8. "Sabbia."-The Secretary read a letter from the Admiralty Coasting Trade Office asking whether a compassionate grant could be made to the widow of a seaman named T. E. Ord. It appeared that the deceased had gone on shore to purchase provisions for the master and crew, who were bound by the terms of their agreement to victual themselves, and had been accidentally drowned while returning to the ship. The Shipping Federation, Limited, had refused to admit liability, on the ground that the deceased was not doing the ship's business at the time of the accident. Mr. Barstow undertook to make inquiries at the Treasury with regard

to the case.

4. s.s. "Bangor."-The Committee agreed that a claim should be preferred against the Admiralty for a sum of £15 0s. 11d., for which certain stores had been sold at Sierra Leone by the Naval Agent after the ship had been handed over to him by Lieutenant-Commander Pollard.

The Secretary reported that a despatch had been received from the Governor of the Falkland Islands with regard to the supposed discrepancy between the stores on board when the ship was in the custody of the Prize Court and the time The despatch was when she was taken over by Lieutenant-Commander Pollard.

From a satisfactory except in regard to ten packages of electrical machinery. previous report received from the Falkland Islands it appeared that the only recollection which the Marshal had of the matter was that the packages (which In the circumstances the had been opened) were sealed up in the chart room. Committee suggested that Messrs. Elder Dempster and Company might perhaps be able to say whether the packages in question were in the chart room when the ship was taken over by them.

The Committee agreed that the value for insurance purposes of the goods (other than coal) which had been manifested as cargo must be that which had been accepted by the Court in connexion with the Crown's undertaking when the ship had been delivered to the Crown. This value was £486.

A letter from the Procurator-General with regard to the undertaking to the Court for the value of the coal was also considered, and it was agreed that, in view of the terms of the cover, the Committee must pay insurance premium on the value of the undertaking given to the Court in the Falkland Islands.

5. S.D. Yawry." The Committee considered a further letter from the Foreign Office with regard to the account for £21 for the cost of extra clerical The Com- assistance to the Consulate at Dakar during the stay of this ship.

mittee noted that the Admiralty had already paid a contribution towards such expenses, and they agreed that the account might be paid if it was in accordance with precedent. Mr. Evans undertook to make inquiries on this point at the Admiralty.

(Mr. Barstow was here obliged to leave the Committee.)

The Committee agreed that £21 18s. 3d. might be paid to the Board of Trade for the repatriation of six seamen from this ship. It was noted that a refund of this amount had been obtained by Messrs. Houlder, Middleton, and Company from the Protection and Indemnity Association.

6.

8.8, Edna." The Committee discussed the account for £580 9s. 8d. which had been received from the Governor of Barbados for paying off and repatriating the crew of this ship to America. It was considered that the account should be held up until Messrs. Scruttons had sent in their account for the voyage of the ship from Barbados.

The Committee considered a letter from Trinity House with regard to the payment of light dues on this ship at Liverpool. The Secretary was instructed to reply giving full particulars and stating that the cargo was sold on arrival in this country for Government account, and that the charge for light dues, if paid, would have to be met from the funds of the Government.

7. Neath." Mr. Holt reported that the Government of Mauritius were unwilling to accept the proposals which had been made for a cargo of coal, but that negotiations were still continuing. The Committee agreed that, if negotia- tions finally fell through, the ship should be sent to bring home wheat from the Plate. Mr. Holt reported that the Board of Trade surveyor had increased the free- board from 6 feet 24 inches to 7 feet 4 inches. The Committee considered that, in riew of the letter from Messrs. Joyce and Company on the subject, no action should

MINUTES.

be taken to request the Board of Trade to reduce the freeboard fixed by their surveyor.

8. 5.0. "Clevedon."-Mr. Holt reported that it was impossible to find any outward cargo for this ship. The Committee agreed that she could be sent to the Plate to load wheat.

The Committee approved the payment of £5 5s. to Messrs. Waltons and Company for their services in settling the claim of the Falmouth Towage Company. 9. s.v. "Terpsichore."-The Committee agreed that, as no outward cargo could be obtained, the ship could be sent in ballast to the Plate for wheat.

Mr. Tennyson raised the question as to whether a ship would be available to load mahogany from British Honduras. The Committee thought that the question should be considered of sending the "Carl" to the Colony.

10. 5.8. "Ranee."-The Committee considered a letter from Mr. Somerville, and decided to approve the renewal of the charter to the Straits Steamship Company for a further period of six months.

11. Steamships "Chow Tai” and “Sandakan."-The Committee discussed the question of leaving these ships in their present trade. In view of the need for retaining shipping in the Far East, it was decided to take no action to disturb existing arrangements.

12. Steamships "Quarta" and "Rajaburi.”—Mr. Holt reported that he had had an interview with Mr. Scott, one of the Directors of Messrs. John Swire and Sons, Limited, and that the latter had agreed to pay for the cost of the docking and painting of both these ships. He had also provisionally agreed to the dates of delivery reported by the Commander-in-Chief, China, but had asked that the matter might remain in abeyance until the ship's accounts had been received from the China Navigation Company.

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It was decided that

Emir," The Committee considered a letter from Mr. Hindley with regard to the sale of the hemp and tow ex this ship. Mr. Firminger should be asked to attend the next meeting of the Committee.

14. 8.5. Frisia."-The Committee considered a letter from the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company replying to the criticisms made after the examination of this steamer's accounts, and instructed the Secretary to deal with the points raised on the lines of a memorandum from Mr. Holt. It was also to be pointed out to the Company that the accounts might eventually be submitted to the Public Accounts Committee, by the Comptroller and Auditor-General, and that it was necessary therefore for full explanations to be given in writing as to the points which had been raised.

15. s.o. "Llandaff."-The Committee considered a report from the Assistant Paymaster-General on the accounts of this ship. commission on estimated freight amounting to £104 0s. 2d., and also a charge of The Committee accepted the £5 58. paid to Messrs. John Baker and Sons. managers should be asked whether they could not obtain some further refund from It was also decided that the the Protection and Indemnity Association in respect of the subscriptions paid previously to 19th January, 1916. The Insurance Fund was to be debited and the Detained Account credited with the value of this ship in the same manner as in the case of the "Paros," subject to a possible readjustment at a later date should His Majesty's Government decide that a different principle should be applied to the valuation of detained ships.

16. Balances.-The Secretary reported that the balance to the credit of the Committee on the 31st July amounted to £611,589 13s. 9d.

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