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-William Eugene Meyer, a The history of the Meyer firm is as follows German, founded the firm about thirty to forty years ago for the purpose of carry- ing on a shipping agency and coaling business.

After a few years of residence he obtained a naturalization certificate.

For many years he was German Consul at Bermuda, but about ten years ago the German Government dismissed him on account of some malpractice in dealing with a ship in distress. His sharp practice in dealing with shipping was well known, and gained for St. George's unenviable notoriety.

During the last few years of his life his name was carried on the list of suspects as a possible German agent, although there was nothing actually against him in that respect.

He died early in 1912, leaving a widow, who died three months ago in New York, and two sons born in Bermuda.

The sons have been carrying on the business since their father's death. One of them is an officer in the Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps.

Since the outbreak of war this Department has been much in touch with them in connexion with shipping and coaling matters, with quite satisfactory results.

With regard to the third paragraph of the despatch, there are only two firms now in existence conducted by persons of enemy origin.

One is a small confectionery business carried on in Front Street by Mrs. E. A: Meyer and her daughter. Mrs. Meyer the wife of Edwin Meyer, a brother of the above-mentioned W. E. Meyer, senior, who came here about thirty-five years ago and afterwards became natūralized.

He failed in business about four years ago and was adjudged bankrupt. After that his wife started the shop, which she now carries on, to maintain the family. Edwin Meyer is in New York living with one of his sons, and has not been in Bermuda since war broke out.

These people have been watched very carefully, but nothing has transpired to show any improper action on their part, although they are believed to be pro-German in sympathies.

The other is a jewellery and cigar business, carried on near the Hamilton Hotel by Mrs. H. G. Recht, widow of a German naturalized in Bermuda many years ago.

The husband became paralysed in 1914 and died last year.

They have one daughter, married to an English ship master, who is not now in Bermuda.

Mrs. Recht and the daughter, I believe, own the building in which the widow resides, but I judge that the business is on its last legs and that the stock is not being replenished.

These women have the national status of wives of naturalized British subjects.

There is not now, and I think that there never has been, any German capital

kind. employed in business in Bermuda of any

7th March, 1916.

26489

No. 173.

JAMAICA.

G. GOSLING,

Assistant Colonial Secretary.

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

(Confidential.)

(Received 5th June, 1916.)

[Answered by No. 178.]

King's House, Jamaica, 20th May, 1916.

SIR,

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Confidential despatch dated the 18th February last,* transmitting a copy of the report of a committee which you had appointed to consider certain questions concerning the liquidation of

* No. 170.

201

enemy firms in the British Colonies and Protectorates, and of a memorandum attached thereto, and inviting my attention to the change of policy recommended by the committee.

2. I have the honour in reply to transmit, for your information, the accompany- ing copy of a minute by the Attorney-General in the matter, and to say that I quite agree in general with the change in policy recommended by the committee.

3. With regard to paragraph 3 of your despatch, I have the honour to state that some of the furniture belonging to the Hamburg-American Company is at present being used with my permission by the present Naval Agent, Captain W. P. Forwood, who at the time of the outbreak of war was the agent of the Hamburg- American Company, but who has since been appointed by the Admiralty to be Naval Agent here; but that I would propose, subject to your approval, to proceed as regards the whole of this furniture as suggested by the Attorney-General, and to sell it in due course.

4. As regards the Hamburg-American Company's pier (railway pier No. 2) and the Hamburg-American Company's slip dock, I have the honour to invite your reference to my Secret despatch dated the 18th of June, 1915.*

5. As regards paragraph 4 of your despatch, it will be observed from the Attorney-General's minute that the firm of Wessels & Nephew has a partner of neutral nationality, only however since the outbreak of war, and in consequence of the deportation of Mr. Wessels in circumstances already in your possession, and that the firm of J. H. Milke & Brother has a partner of British nationality. These cases are therefore submitted for your decision, but I see no reason why these firms should not be wound up in pursuance of the new policy.

6. I have the honour also to transmit the accompanying copies of minutes by the Attorney-General and the Assistant Attorney-General with reference to the business now being carried on on behalf of Mr. George Wihan, a prisoner of war, at present interned in this Colony, and to say that, when I receive your instructions with regard to the other cases in the immediately preceding paragraph, this case will be dealt with also by the institution of winding-up proceedings.

7. With reference to the last paragraph of your despatch, I have the honour to transmit, for your information, the accompanying copy of a letter from the Collector-General, with a copy of the memorandum therein referred to, showing the distribution of cocoa exports during the years 1913 and 1914, from which it will be apparent that no attempt had been made by the German firms in this Colony to divert to Hamburg the cocoa produced here.

I have, &c..

Enclosure in No. 173.

W. H. MANNING,

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL to THE COLONIAL SECRETARY. (Secretary of State. Confidential. 18th February, 1916.) HONOURABLE COLONIAL SECRETARY,

Governor.

As regards the furniture and stores belonging to the Hamburg-Amerika Company referred to in paragraph 3 of the Secretary of State's Confidential, of 18th February, 1916, an application might be made by the Custodian to the Court, under section 7 of Law 22 of 1915, for a Vesting Order with powers of sale.

2. As regards paragraph 4 of the despatch, I see no objection to winding up the business of J. H. Milke & Brother. J. H. Milke died before the War, and Mr. Oswald Milke, the brother, is a German subject, and was deported. His son, who is a natural born British subject, carries on the business with his mother. The assets of the business would be in the region of £1,500. The son would possibly start business again after liquidation with a view to his father joining him at the end of the War, but in the meantime proceedings might be taken under section 3 of the Alien Enemies (Winding-up) Law, 1916.

3. As regards the business of Wessels & Nephew the position is as follows. The nephew, Mr. Walther John Wessels, is, I believe, a natural born American subject, and he and Mr. Louis Wessels are the present partners. Before the War

* 30758.