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SIERRA LEONE.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

› Reference :—

C.O. 885

24 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRUENOT TO

"

4. The telegram announcing the outbreak of war reached me at 1 a.m., on the 5th August, and was at once communicated to the General Officer Commanding the troops. The same day the necessary instructions were issued to all the officers concerned, bringing the war stage of the defence scheme into force. Proclama- tions were also issued announcing a state of war with Germany, providing for days of grace" for enemy ships, and prohibiting the export of warlike stores.

5. I take this opportunity of stating that, owing to the thorough manner in which the defence scheme was devised by the local Defence Committee last year, all the arrangements worked perfectly smoothly, and the mobilization of the garrison—- including the West African Frontier Force-was practically completed on the 3rd August.

6. The principal measures taken were as follows :--

7. Finance. In order to prevent any shortage of cash in the Colony, arrange- ments were made with the Currency Board, under which the local Currency Officer (the Colonial Treasurer) was authorized to use the funds of the Board in the custody of the Bank of British West Africa, either for Colonial or Imperial purposes.

8. Treatment of Enemy Subjects. All reservists and persons liable to military service were interned, and those who were not interned were required to give a written undertaking to abstain from committing hostile acts, and were forbidden Later, to leave their places of residence without permission from the Government. under instructions from His Majesty's Government, all enemy subjects were interned. A considerable number of those interned at the beginning of the war were men serving on board the steamers of Messrs. Elder Dempster and Company, some of whom had been in the service for a considerable number of years. The prisoners were accommodated in the Government Model School and the Fourah Bay College, the latter of which was kindly lent by the Church Missionary Society for the purpose.

9. Censorship.-On the outbreak of war, a censorship of submarine cable and radio-telegraph messages was established.

The staff originally appointed was as follows:-

Censor, Mr. B. É. Hanson (Auditor);

Assistant Censor, Mr. H. Simms (Sanitary Engineer);

Assistant Censor, Mr. C. E. Lane-Poole (Conservator of Forests); Assistant Censor, Mr. P. W. Clemens (Assistant Treasurer);

but, owing to the exigencies of the service, the personnel has had to be changed more than once. A censorship of postal matter was also established.

10. Examination Service.-This service was carried out as laid down in the defence scheme, the staff being as follows:-

Chief Examining Officer, the Deputy Assistant Adjutant and Quarter-

master-General;

Assistant Examining Officer, Mr. B. W. Fitch-Jones (Draughtsman,

Public Works Department);

Assistant Examining Officer, Mr. S. C. Thompson (Sierra Leone Coaling

Company).

In the case of this service, also, it has been found necessary to change the staff from time to time, and as it was found that two Assistant Examining Officers were not sufficient to do the work properly, a third was appointed.

11. As a precautionary measure, the District Commissioners were instructed to collect surplus rice and store it in central depôts in their districts. A large quan tity of rice was thus collected, but fortunately there was no shortage of food sup- plies in the Colony, and the rice had to be disposed of afterwards at some loss to the Government.

12. Control and distribution of provisions and foodstuffs. I had arranged in 1911 that, in the event of war, a Committee should be appointed to regulate and control the issue and distribution of provisions if it became necessary to do so. For- tunately, this was not the case, but the Committee was appointed in order that it might advise the Government generally on questions connected with the food supply, and particularly with regard to fixing the prices of commodities.

The Committee originally appointed consisted of

The Colonial Treasurer (Chairman),

The Comptroller of Custome,

The Police Magistrate,

The Mayor of Freetown,

Mr. Joannides (Messrs. Paterson, Zochonis and Company),

and their advice was of great value to the Government. Maximum prices for cer- tain commodities were fixed by Proclamation, some of which have been varied from time to time according to circumstances.

13. Two Ordinances have been passed relating to trading with the enemy. The first prohibits trading generally, and the second gives the Government the necessary powers for closing down the firms of enemy traders and dealing with their business. 14. During the first weeks of the war there was a certain amount of uneasi ness among the natives in the Protectorate, who have only two ideas of war, viz., fighting among themselves or fighting against the Government. The District Com- missioners were instructed to explain the position to the chiefs, who were also informed that I relied upon them to preserve order in their chiefdoms, and I am glad to say that there was not the slightest sign of any disorder in any part of the (commonly Protectorate.

Société Commerciale de l'Ouest Africain" An employé of the " known as the Swiss Company), who was reported to be spreading false rumours of German victories among the natives in the Protectorate, was ordered to leave the country, and the head of the firm in Freetown was warned that any repetition of such conduct would entail serious consequences.

The

15. In Freetown and the Colony perfect order has prevailed and Government orders and regulations have been promptly and cheerfully complied with. editors of the local newspapers were warned not to publish any information which might be of use to the enemy, and it has not been found necessary to establish a Press censorship.

I have, &c.,

6917

SOMALILAND.

No. 91.

E. M. MEREWETHER,

THE COMMISSIONER to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 12th February, 1915.)

(No. 15.)

SIR,

Governor.

Commissioner's Office, Camp Burao,

21st January, 1915. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 166, of the 20th of November, 1914,* calling for a report on the general measures adopted

in this Protectorate to meet the situation arising out of the war.

2. Prior to the participation of Turkey in the war the only danger to be apprehended was the possible bombardment of the town of Berbera by an enemy warship. There are no guns in the fort capable of replying to a bombardment from the sea, and measures could only be taken to oppose a landing party. An escort was also Trenches were accordingly constructed, positions selected for seven-pounders and machine guns, and detachments trained to serve these guns. held in constant readiness to guard the treasure and records should their removal from Berbera to Dubar, nine miles inland, seem necessary. Finally, arrangements were made to dismantle the wireless station at any time should the necessity arise. 3. No steps in connexion with enemy shipping have been necessary, for the reason that no enemy merchant vessels have called at Berbera: and on the outbreak of war there were no enemy subjects resident in the Protectorate.

In the early stages of the war advantage was taken by certain traders of the opportunity to inflate prices unduly, but this was dealt with by the enactment of The Articles of Commerce (Returns, etc.) Ordinance, No. 2 of 1914," controlling prices.

* 45801: not printed.