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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TOPELTIC 885/26

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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4447

MINUTES.

THE ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SECOND MEETING of the Committee was held at the Colonial Office on Tuesday, the 25th February, 1919, at 4.0 p.m.

The following members were present :-

ADMIRAL SIR E. J. W. SLADE, K.('.I.E., K.C.V.O. (Chairman).

MR. W. J. EVANS, C.B.E., Admiralty.

MR. H. N. BUNBURY, C.B., Treasury.

MR. L. D. WAKELY, India Office.

MR. C. TENNYSON, C.M.G., Colonial Office.

MR. T. H. HOLT, O.B.E., Crown Agents.

MR. G. A. JONES acted as Secretary.

Mr. Evans and Mr. Bunbury were present only during the discussion of item 6.

1. The minutes of the One Hundred and Sixty-first Meeting were confirmed.

8.0.

2. "Clevedon."-Mr. Holt mentioned that, with the approval of the Ministry of Shipping, this vessel had been fixed to load wheat from Melbourne to the United Kingdom at 90s. per ton. The Royal Commission on Wheat Supplies declined to fix the ship at 120s., the rate intimated by the brokers, and offered 70s.; eventually they agreed to pay 90s., which rate, on the advice of the managers, was accepted. Mr. Holt added that a similar freight for a voyage from Melbourne to South Africa, with general cargo, had been proposed, and that the Ministry of Shipping had recommended acceptance in preference to the contemplated voyage to the United Kingdom, but it subsequently transpired that the Australian charterers would not accept a sailing vessel as ample steam tonnage was available.

3. Seventh Interim Report (relating to the requisition and valuation of detained enemy ships). The Secretary stated that he had ascertained unofficially that action upon this report was being delayed for the opinion of the Law Officers, to whom the matter had been referred. It was decided that the Secretary should communi- cate officially with His Majesty's Procurator-General, asking him to use his best endeavours to obtain an expression of the views of the Law Officers upon the Committee's recommendations at as early a date as practicable. Mention was to be made of the fact that consideration of the action to be taken in regard to the oversea cases was delayed for the decision in regard to the cases dealt with in the Prize Court in this country, and also that it seemed most desirable that the suggested applications to the Prize Courts, if approved in principle, should be made as far as possible in advance of the signature of the Treaty of Peace.

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4. 5.8. Apolda."-

"-A request by Messrs. Millars' Timber and Trading Com- Limited, for the use of this ship for a sixteenth voyage between Western pany, Australia and South Africa, for the conveyance of timber for the account of the Government of the Union of South Africa, was agreed to subject to the stipulation that the ship, which was understood to be running with defective engines, was to be put into a proper state of repair before commencing this further voyage.

5. s.v. "Bellas."--Mr. Holt mentioned that this vessel was delayed at Fremantle on account of the death of the master. A reply was being awaited to certain inquiries which had been made concerning a new master, who was understood to be available on the spot.

The

6. Final Report.-A draft of this report was considered in detail. draft, as amended, was to be set up in print and the copies circulated for further consideration. Copies were also to be forwarded to Mr. Malkin and Mr. Hipwood, who were understood to be in France.

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THE SUB-COMMITTEE beg to report the following action taken :-

1. 5.0. "Bellas."-A new master for this vessel was obtained at Fremantle and the vessel sailed for South Africa on the 4th March. The Ministry of Shipping have concurred in this vessel being fixed for a further voyage from Western Australia to South Africa with sleepers for the account of the Government, of the Union of South Africa, and the terms for this additional voyage are at present under discussion.

MINUTES.

2. s.v." Clevedon.”—An advance of £6,250 has been made to Messrs. J. Hardie and Company on account of the disbursements on this vessel whilst at Durban.

The ship arrived at Melbourne on the 16th February and, after discharging her inward cargo, will load wheat for the United Kingdom.

3. s.o. "Terpsichore."-This ship sailed from New York for Wellington on the 23rd December last. Zealand to United States of America owing to the detention at Baltimore repairing, As she cannot keep her cancelling date to load New it has been arranged, with the approval of the Ministry of Shipping, to load general cargo for London at the same freight, and the cancelling date has been extended to the 31st August next.

4. 8.0.

Spithiod."--A telegrani has been received from the Governor-General of Canada intimating that the Canadian Government have been unable to arrange a satisfactory charter and do not therefore desire to use this ship. Application has heen made by Messrs. Harling and Son, of Montreal, for the charter or management of the ship, but the terms offered are not considered satisfactory, and it has been decided, provided the cost of the repairs is not prohibitive, to appoint a firm in this country to manage the vessel for a voyage home and to sell her upon arrival here. A reply is being awaited to a telegraphic inquiry of the Governor-General of Canada asking for an estimate of the cost of the repairs.

"

5. Steamships “ Hamm,” received from the Governor-General of the Union of South Africa showing that the Apolda," and "Birkenfels."-A despatch has been Prize Court at Cape Town has considered and decided to allow the charge at the rate of 30s. per day made by the Marshal of that Court for keeping possession of these vessels.

As a result of representations on behalf of the Government of the Union of South Africa, it has been agreed that the s.s. sixteenth voyage with tripled, instead of quadrupled, engines, provided that the Apolda " might proceed upon her approval of the underwriters be obtained and that a Lloyd's certificate of seaworthi- ness is secured. This course was recommended by the managers and constitutes a variation of the decision recorded in paragraph 4 of the minutes of the One Hundred and Sixty-second Meeting of the Committee.

'6. s.s." Ranee."-The despatch from the Governor of the Straits Settlements alluded to in the Sub-Committee's Report dated the 31st December last has been received and an adjustment made with the Straits Steamship Company on the basis of the charter of the vessel to that Company the 2nd May last, being the date when the vessel was requisitioned by the Colonial having terminated upon Government. In addition to the appropriate return of hire money, an allowance has been made to the charterers in respect of the unexpired insurances.

The insurance of the vessel against marine risks has been allowed to lapse but the insurance against protection and indemnity risks has been continued. cover at present runs to the 15th September next, with liberty to the Committee to This cancel at an earlier date if occasion should require.

The Straits Steamship Company recently asked that they might be afforded an opportunity of purchasing the "Ranee," and were informed that, being a detained vessel, the Committee were not in a position to entertain any offers of purchase.

7.

s.v. "Neath."-With the approval of the Treasury, an allowance of £250 has been made to the master of this vessel in respect of his wages during the period of his internment in Germany.

8.

s.s. "Atlanten."--The figures showing the proceeds of the whole cargo of this ship have now become available, and the various insurances arranged by the Committee are being adjusted.

Claims for the recovery of sums expended by the Government of Sierra Leone in respect of members of the crew of this vessel have been received but are held in suspense pending further particulars.

9. s.r. “Pax."--A claim for £2 10s. Od., communicated by the Governor of the Falkland Islands, in respect of binocular glasses supplied to the master of this vessel for the voyage home, has heen met from Committee funds. Application was. made to the master for payment of the claim from the insurance money drawn by him, but it transpired that Captain Hanley was seriously ill and not expected to recover, and in the circumstances it was decided that the sum should be written off in the Committee's accounts as a loss.