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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

CO.885/25

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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4331

1.

MINUTES.

THE Sub-Committee beg to report the following action taken :—

8.0.

"Bellas."--

"This vessel made a second fast passage from Fremantle to Cape Town, and is on passage to Fremantle to load a third cargo of sleepers for the Cape.

2. s.v. "Clevedon."-This ship is on passage to Melbourne, where she will load a cargo of wheat. Her discharging port has not yet been decided upon.

3. 8.0. "Terpsichore."-After this vessel had discharged her cargo at Balti- more, Lloyd's surveyor condemned her main and forecastle decks and decided that they must be renewed. An estimate was obtained by the managers that the work This figure was could be performed at Baltimore at a cost of some $20,720. referred to Lloyd's Register, who advised that it might be considered a very fair price. The putting of the work in hand was, however, suspended owing to a request by the Ministry of Shipping that the vessel might be made available for use as a coal hulk. After some delay the Ministry decided to leave the vessel in the hands of the Committee for trading, and the managers were thereupon instructed to arrange for the repairs to the decks to be carried out.

These repairs are now understood to be practically completed, but some difficulty is being experienced by the charterers in securing a cargo from Baltimore. The managers have, however, been requested to give the charterers notice of readi- ness in due course.

4. Motor-schooner Twee Ambt."--The Ministry of Shipping have arranged to employ this vessel on the coast of West Africa, and the Governor has been asked to arrange to place her at the disposal of Messrs. Elder Dempster and Company, who have undertaken to manage her on behalf of the Shipping Controller.

The licence to enable the cargo of coffee to enter the United States was duly secured, but the decision as to the manner of disposal of this cargo has since been varied. In the course of a discussion of the matter with Messrs. Elder Dempster and Company it transpired that at times that firm had difficulty in obtaining sufficient priority cargo to fill the armed cruisers and other homeward-bound vessels dealt with by them at Sierra Leone, that recently they had been obliged to ship ginger and other non-essential cargo to this country, and that, provided the necessary authority was conveyed to them, they did not anticipate any difficulty in promptly shipping this coffee to the United Kingdom without affecting the shipment of priority cargo. On this being represented to the Ministry of Shipping, the latter agreed to waive their objection to the cargo being shipped to this country if any space is available after all priority cargo has been lifted, and Messrs. Elder Dempster and Company have been instructed accordingly. The cargo has not yet been shipped, as it appears from recent inquiry of Messrs. Elder Dempster and Com- pany that business at Sierra Leone is almost at a standstill for the present owing to sickness.

On arrival in this country the coffee will be sold by the Admiralty Marshal.

"

5. 8.8. Apolda."--A request by Messrs. Millars' Timber and Trading Com- pany, Limited, for the use of this ship for a fifteenth voyage has been referred to the Colonial Office on the question whether, having regard to the existing position concerning steamer tonnage, and also to the fact that the change in the wheat situation might enable sailing tonnage to be released for the conveyance of the It is sleepers, this steamer might now be offered to the Ministry of Shipping understood that the Colonial Office has communicated with the Ministry of Shipping in the sense that if the Shipping Controller urgently requires the vessel and is prepared to guarantee the immediate allocation of sailing tonnage to replace her, the Colonial Office will be prepared to confer with the Government of the Union of South Africa on that basis. No reply has been received from the Ministry of Shipping up to the present.

6. 3.8. Edna." (See paragraph 15 of the Sub-Committee's report dated 30th March last.) In the event of this ship being condemned the Admiralty have agreed that the excess of the Committee's expenditure in bringing her home over the sum paid to the Committee would form a proper charge upon the freight paid into Court. If she be released the Admiralty admit that the loss might appro- priately fall on Naval funds, but suggest that no transfer would be necessary on.the

MINUTES.

43

ground that the ultimate incidence would be the same whether horne by the Com- mittee or Naval funds. The accounts for this ship consequently remain in suspense pending her adjudication.

"

7. 8.8. ' Erymanthos.”—A despatch has been received from the Governor of Jamaica, from which it appears that the shippers were informed that the rate of freight which was charged would include wharfage for any shipments made at Kingston In these circumstances the charge of £302 12s. 5d., mentioned in paragraph 10 of the Sub-Committee's report dated 1st July last, has been accepted and the Accountant authorized to refund to the Colonial Government the balance of £559 128. 1d. due to them in respect of the voyage in question.

8. Steamships "Chow Tai" and “Sundakan."-The Director of Transports and Shipping has intimated that these vessels entered into the service of this Department on the 24th April, 1917, and the 23rd June, 1917, respectively.

9. 8.8.

Ranee." A telegram has been received from the Governor of the Straits Settlements intimating that this vessel was requisitioned by that Govern- ment as from the 2nd May last. A settlement with the Straits Steamship Com- pany, Limited, in respect of the charter arranged by the Committee is being delayed for the receipt of a despatch from the Governor giving details.

10. Steamships" Birkenfels" und " Hamm."-A sum of £38 15s., overcharged by the Marshal of the Prize Court at Cape Town in conuexion with these vessels, has been refunded to the Committee.

11. s.s. "Emil" (now “Aquarius ").The balance due under the mortgage on this vessel, together with appropriate interest, has been paid by the Aquarius Steamship Company, Limited. The mortgage deed and insurance policies have accordingly been returned.

12. 8.5.

-

Pfalz" (renamed "Boorara").-This vessel was again struck by a torpedo whilst being towed from Southampton to the Tyne to be repaired, but nevertheless managed to reach port. The Foreign Office has been informed.

Barunga"). --An

13.

3.8.

"

(renamed

1

announcement

made "Sumatra by the Admiralty on the 20th July shows that this ship was sunk by a German submarine on the 15th of that month whilst conveying unfit Australian troops. The attention of the Foreign Office has been directed to this announcement.

21

14.

and Resin ex steamships "Byzantion'

Spetzai."--The Director of Stores, Admiralty, is being pressed to conclude the accounts for the consignments taken over by the Admiralty. The matter is understood to be delayed by a reference to the Ministry of Shipping in connexion with certain charges incurred at Hull.

The account sales rendered by Messrs. Fairclough, Dodd. and Jones for the part of the "Spetzai" resin disposed of by them shows gross proceeds amounting to £2,449 188. 11d.

Regina 15. Rubber ex steamships "San Giorgio," ̧

Kroonlund," and d'Italia."--The balance of this rubber was shipped home in the s.s. "Holtby "and sold by Messrs. Lewis and Peat for a sum of £2,118 2s. 4d. gross.

C

16. Ploughs and steel joists ex "Kalymnos," and hoop iron ex " Erymanthos." -The Admiralty have settled for the steel joists taken over by them, and Messrs. Leeder have rendered account sales for the full cargo. The brokers have been allowed a commission of five per cent. on the gross proceeds of the ploughs, and three-and-a-third per cent. on the gross proceeds of the remainder of the cargo.

As only cargo of low value was involved, and in view also of the fact that it was unlikely that the Committee would have occasion to place further business in the hands of Messrs. Leeder, the Sub-Committee did not feel that it would be equitable to insist upon the same terms as were arranged with Messrs. Fuller, Horsey, Sons, and Cassell. The brokers asked for a commission of five per cent. on the full cargo, but the Sub-Committee did not see their way to consent to this. 17. Cocoa butter ex 'Kalymnos,” and caustic soda ex ‘Erymanthos.”—The account sales for these consignments have been examined by the Accountant and accepted as satisfactory, subject to audit.

18.

**

Quebracho extract ex Kalymnos."-The report from the Accountant on the accounts for this cargo mentions a depreciation of about four per cent. This