CO885-(25-26) — Page 671

611

87

66

09

APPENDIX A.-REPORTS. ·

(A) C.T.1, "Ostpreussen," German (dead-weight, 2,313 tons,, sunk by mine on 25th November, 1917. Eighty-six voyages, bringing 198,903 tons of coal to London. Book value, £12,031.

(A) C.T. 25, “Dryade," German (dead-weight, 2,402 tons), sunk after colli-

sion with s.s. "Upminster

One on 8th December, 1917. hundred and two voyages, bringing 245,029 tons of coal to London. Book value, £13,503.

(A) C.T. 20, "Ottokar," German (dead-weight, 1,024 tons), sailed from Tyne for London on 11th December, 1917, and has not since been heard of. She has disappeared with all her crew. Eighty- five voyages, bringing 88,165 tons of coal to London. Book value, £4,375.

C.T. 38, "Occident, had an unusual experience on one of her voyages. She was hit fair and square by a torpedo which failed to explore, and beyond a dented plate sustained no damage. It is a pity there are not more duds.

STEAMER CARGOES carried :-

4.

1917

Total, 1917 1916 Before 1916

Grand total

1,897,781 tons of coal to London.

80,119 tons of coal to outports. 25,181 tons of sundries.

2,003,081 tons in 1,210 voyages. 2,146,303 tons in 1,069 voyages. 1,851,433 tons.

6,000,817 tons carried and delivered from 1915 to end of

December, 1917.

5.-GENERAL REMARKS.—During recent months Government has created two new offices-viz., the Controller of Shipping and the Controller of Coal Mines into either of which this Office might have been merged. But these separate authorities, after some interviews, and, assumably, investigation, have so far left us to carry on, in the same manner and without change, the work started three years ago.

The Shipping Controller could not, apparently, discover that any advantage, economic or otherwise, would accrue to the public by taking over our tonnage from the executive management of Messrs. Everett and Newbigin, or from the adminis- tration of this Office.

Similarly, the Coal Controller has, I believe, found no reason to be dissatisfied with the coal figures and statistics supplied to him by this Office.

From an entirely detached view of the situation the no change" policy

scems to me to be a sound one.

But the alteration has emphasized the demarcation between the purely ship- ping and the purely coal activities of this Office. The latter are considerable, and for convenience of working the Office has been located for several months under the same roof as that of the Controller of Coal Mines.

Under the circumstances it is proposed to confine this report to the shipping branch, and to refrain from saying anything further this year regarding London coal figures, which, after all, are of entirely secondary interest to your Committee. Messrs. Everett and Newbigin have continued as joint managers of the steamer fleet, and have now been three years in that capacity. Time has not lessened the difficulties they have had to contend with in all directions, but they have successfully surmounted them as they came along, and on all occasions with the minimum of friction. Their great experience of affairs generally, and of shipping matters in particular, coupled with the devotion which they have at all times shown to our interests, has been of incalculable advantage to the business.

6. SAILING FLEET.-Out of twenty-six of these small craft originally taken over I had to record the loss of seven last year This year casualties are as follows:- C.S. 62, "Alfred" (dead-weight, 200 tons), sunk by submarine on 12th

January, 1917. Book value, £1,575.

C.S. 63, "Angela" (dead-weight, 180 tons), disappeared with all hands

early in May. Book value, £1,575.

C.S. 66. "Eduard” (dead-weight, 600 tons), sunk by submarine on 16th

April, 1917. Book value, £3,298.

C.S. 72,

"

C.S. 73,

14

C.S. 75,

14

APPENDIX A.-REPORTS.

Senator Dantziger" (dead-weight, 240 tons), sunk by submarine on 10th April, 1917. Book value, £2,888.

"Theodor" (dead-weight, 340 tons), sunk by submarine on 11th September, 1917. Book value, £2,538.

Wilhelm" (dead-weight, 260 tous), abandoned to submarine and disappeared 7th June, 1917. Book value, £2,031.

C.S. 76, "Mientji" (dead-weight, 180 tons), sunk by submarine on 20th

May, 1917. Book value, £2,625.

C.S. 79, "Fiducia" (dead-weight, 180 tons), wrecked in gale on 5th March,

1917. Book value, £350.

All the above eight vessels were German "letained" vessels. C.S. 81, "Kath- arina," which was ashore near Yarmouth for many months, was eventually salved. This vessel and the other ten survivors have now been made over to the Controller of Shipping, and are, it is believed, being put on the west coast and Irish trade. These sailers turned out to be an easy prey to enemy submarines, which accounted for ten out of the fifteen lost.

7. FINANCE continues to be outside the sphere of this Office.

As to the steamers, the exact profit at any given date I do not know. Freights have ruled higher this year than heretofore, but both the working costs and the losses have been greater. The item for insurance now forms a formidable total, but I think the provision, large as it is, has so far proved insufficient to provide fully for the heavy capital losses incurred. It has been suggested by me that the true net profits should go into revenue, and the insurance fund and any doubtful items be kept in suspense, but this procedure has not found favour with the authorities responsible. The result is that our surplus balances (including the provision for insurance) in excess of immediate requirements have, as originally arranged, been paid to the Accountant-General of the Navy in even sums of £10,000 each, the grand total of such payments to the end of the year amounting to £1,730,000.

I should mention that the exact terms on which the s.s. "Polstream" and s.s. "Polleon," now before the Prize Court, have been diverted to us through the Ministry of Shipping are not yet ascertained. If these steamers are not con- demned as lawful prize it may be that their rate of hire will be greater than their earnings, but the dire need of tonnage to keep London going with coal is the factor which dominates the financial aspect of the question.

As to the sailing fleet, there has, I feel sure, been a loss on running account. and as our interests are now transferred I think that within the next few months 'final accounts should be available.

8. It affords me much pleasure to refer once more to the excellent work done by Mrs. Metten and Miss Westrop, who are still my only assistants. In view of the volume of correspondence and statistics dealt with, and the promptitude, regularity, and, I trust, efficiency with which our operations are conducted, I flatter myself that, amongst the minor Government offices, ours is run at about the limit of economy in personnel.

A. LESLIE,

Admiralty Coasting Trade Office.

4213

Room 306. Holborn Viaduct Hotel, E.C.1,

14th January, 1918.

(5)

Lieutenant-Colonel (retired),

Organizing Secretary.

FINAL REPORT OF THE ADMIRALTY COASTING TRADE OFFICE. Holborn Viaduct Hotel, E.C.1, 27th June, 1918.

SIB

As desired in your letter No. 4188, of the 6th instant,* I have the honour to submit a final report on the operations of this Office.

1. It will be remembered that this Office was opened in January, 1915. for administrative purposes in connexion with the working of certain interned enemy steamers requisitioned by Government for employment in coastwise trade, and

* Not printed.

mc.o.

885/25

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

ม.ราม