CO885-(25-26) — Page 670

APPENDIX A.-REPORTS.

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These exceptions are the s.s. "Apolda" (4,939 tons gross), the s.v.

Bellas" (931 tons gross), and the 8.8. Ranee" (790 tons gross). The first two of these remain under the direction of the Committee, both being at present employed for the conveyance of sleepers from Western Australia to the Cape for the use of the Government of the Union of South Africa, whilst the third vessel has recently been requisitioned by the Government of the Straits Settlements.

It follows that the Colonial and India Offices will need to be consulted as to the availability of the bulk of the oversea detained ships; indeed, the Committee would suggest that reference should be made to the Department concerned before any ship sentenced to detention in an Oversea Prize Court is brought within the scheme, as it is possible that Oversea Governments may wish to express views as to the disposal of these vessels or may claim an interest in them. In this con- nexion it should be observed that if, as suggested above, these ships are ultimately condemned as Prize they will be Droits of Admiralty and not Droits of the Crown, and the considerations set out in the Committee's Eighth Report as applying to Droits of Admiralty would therefore apply to these ships also.

With regard to the financial liability which a Department will assume in respect of any detained ships transferred to private parties, the Committee con- sider that the only material factor, excepting in cases where claims are made by Oversea Governments, is the settlement between the Crown on the one side and the enemy owner or Government on the other. If the Treaty of Peace contains pro- visions for the permanent retention of these ships by His Majesty's Government without compensation, this question will not arise, and no action would, in the absence of any claim by an Oversea Government, be necessary to make good the value of any ship transferred, nothing but a book transaction between two depart- ments being involved. The Committee have discussed in their Seventh Interim Report the question of the amount of compensation which the enemy owner would be entitled to receive in the event of compensation being necessary.

If, however, an Oversea Government raises a claim to a ship seized in one of its own ports, but is nevertheless willing that the actual ship should be permanently taken over by His Majesty's Government for the purpose of the proposed scheme, it would seem advisable to secure the assent of the Oversea Government to a valua- tion of the ship before she is definitely brought within the scheme. Pending a settlement in regard to the claim of the Oversea Government and the treatment of detained ships, His Majesty's Government would assume liability up to the amount of the agreed value, or for the amount of compensation ultimately awarded to the enemy owner, as the case might require.

Correspondingly, if an Oversea Government desires to use a detained vessel for replacing locally registered or owned tonnage, it is recommended that a valua- tion should be agreed, and that, pending a decision as to the rights of Oversea Governments in respect of Droits of Admiralty condemned by Prize Courts in their territories. the Oversea Government should be asked to assume liability to His Majesty's Government for any sum which the latter may be called upon to pay to the enemy owner at the end of the War by way of compensation for the non-return of the ship, or for the agreed value of the ship, as the case might require.

EDMOND J. W. SLADE,

G. JONES.

Acting Secretary.

4th November. 1918.

for the Committee.

3987

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ADMIRALTY COASTING TRADE OFFICE REPORT No. 3 (FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR 1917).

STEAMER FLEET:-

1.

THE vessels are of three classes :-

1. Interned enemy steamers (A)

2. Prize steamers (B)

3. Hopper barges converted into colliers:

Preston Corporation (C)

Port of London Authority (D)

2. At the end of 1916 there were on the C.T. List

The following have since been employed from the dates given :-

(B) C.T. 59 "Polstream," 13th December, 1917

B) C.T. 60" Polleon," 15th December, 1917

Total

Casualties during 1917

Effective on 31st December, 1917

16 4

3

29

1818

39 steamers.

2

|

41 12

29 steamer:

These twenty-nine steamers have a carrying capacity of about 45,200 tons. Last year the thirty-nine steamers then in commission had about 71,500 tons.

3. STEAMER CASUALTIES :———

(D) C.T. 53, "Lonclara" (dead-weight. 1,000 tons), mined on 4th January, 1917. She had completed thirteen voyages and had brought 12,962 tons of coal to London. Book value, £39,776, but as we shall have to replace her, as also the "Lonada," lost in December, 1916, the cost in both cases may be much in excess of book values. Pending post-war reinstatement it has been arranged to pay interest at five per cent. per annum on the original cost in each case (£22,000).

(A) C.T. 21,

"Hanna Larsen," German (dead-weight, 1,840 tons), sunk by submarine on 8th February, 1917. Sixty-three voyages, bringing 115,953 tons of coal to London. Book value, £10,718.

(A) C.T. 24, "Marie Leonhardt," German (dead-weight, 2,265 tons), sunk by mine on 14th February, 1917. Fifty-three voyages, bringing 120.051 tons of coal to London. Book value, £11,156.

(A) C.T. 10,

[C

Wega," German (dead-weight, 1,035 tons), sunk by mine on 14th June, 1917. Sixty-three voyages, bringing 65,200 tons of coal to London. Book value, £3,038.

C.T. 43, "Kankakee" (dead-weight, 4,681 tons), sunk by torpedo on 14th June, 1917. Thirty-three voyages, bringing 154,596 tons of coal to London. Book value, £57,500

(A) C.T. 17, "Brema," German (dead-weight, 2,848 tons), sunk by sub- marine on 19th August, 1917. Eighty voyages, bringing 228,071 tons of onal to London. Book value, £11,594.

(A) C.T. 26, “Hornsund," German (dead-weight, 5,762 tone), sunk by submarine on 23rd September, 1917. Seventy-nine voyages, bringing 455,082 tons of coal to London. Book value, £35,000. (A) C.T. 27, "Gemma," German (dead-weight, 2,095 tons), sunk by sub- marine on 19th October, 1917. Eighty-eight voyages, bringing 184,479 tons of coal to London. Book value, £11,875. (A) C.T. 13, “Lucida," German (dead-weight, 1,895 tons), torpedoed on 4th November, 1917, but beached and salved, so knocked about, how- ever, that her sale as a wreck is contemplated, and authority to so dispose of her has been requested. Eighty-nine voyages, bringing 188,687 tons of coal to London. Book value, £8,813.

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