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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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Reference :-

mmim C.O. 885

24 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

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BRITISH GUIANA.

1. A notification, dated the 20th August, that it is not the intention of the Admiralty to utilize at present the services of officers of the Royal Naval Reserve serving in merchant vessels abroad was published.

2. Proclamation was issued on the 24th August, 1914, prohibiting, under Section 105 of "The Customs Ordinance, 1884," the exportation from British Guiana of paddy or unhusked rice.

3. On the 26th August was issued a Proclamation under the Foodstuffs (Regulation of Price) Ordinance, No. 22 of 1914, fixing the maximum price in any locality in the Colony at which any article of food may be sold for legal tender, either wholesale or retail. This subject is dealt with in my despatch No. 348 of the 26th August.*

4. A Proclamation notifying (a) that the Supreme Court of British Guiana is authorized to take cognizance of, and judicially proceed in, matters of prize, and a Proclamation (b) for postponing the payment of certain bills of exchange, were published on the 27th instant.

5. Local prices are tending to gravitate to normal rates, and I hope the necessity for fixing prices by Proclamation will soon disappear.

I have, &c.,

WALTER EGERTON,

35586

(No. 369.)

SIR,

No. 11.

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 17th September, 1914.)

Governor.

Government House, Georgetown, Demerara,

29th August, 1914. WITH reference to the correspondence† noted in the margin, I have the honour to report that, on the advice of the Commandant, Local Forces, on the 29th of To Secretary of State, No. 116, 11th April,

1914, par. 14.

Telegrain, 17th July, 1914.

July I issued the Order necessary for disbanding "A" and "B" Companies of the Volunteer Corps as from that date, and

a further Order was issued rescinding the Order of the 27th March, 1907, whereby Nos. 1 and 2 Companies of the Infantry Militia ceased to exist.

2. Consequent on the outbreak of war and the bringing into force of the Defence Scheme the strength of the Militia Infantry Reserve is found to be as follows:-

On paper and before the outbreak of war

(List for 1914.) Reported for duty

Leaving

293

211

82

reported as dead, etc., or unaccounted for. To make good this deficiency, it has been decided that, instead of one Militia Company being raised, a second company should be formed for service during the present mobilization, and I am glad to say that this effort is meeting with considerable success. A good many of the best men in the disbanded Volunteer Corps rejoined as Militia men, and other recruits I enclose a report by reported to be of a satisfactory standard have enlisted. Colonel De Rinzy, Inspector-General of Police, on the subject of the recruiting of these companies.

I have, &c.,

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BRITISH GUIANA.

Enclosure in No. 11.

COMMANDANT, LOCAL FORCES, to THE HONOURABLE THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARY,

British Guiana Militia, Headquarters, Georgetown, SIE,

28th August, 1914. In accordance with a verbal request made to me by His Excellency the Governor, I have the honour to report on the two new Militia Infantry Companies that have recently been formed in place of the two Volunteer Companies disbanded. No. Company was embodied on the 30th July, Lieutenant Pollard, formerly of the Volunteers, being in command.

In three

No difficulty has been experienced in recruiting, in a few days the company being 40 strong, consisting chiefly of the pick of the old Volunteers. weeks the company is 72 of all ranks. Lieutenant Pollard does not intend taking any more men at present, as he knows of several excellent men who are anxious to join but are prevented by their employers being unable to spare them during this period of mobilization, when all the big commercial houses are very short-handed. The stamp of man coming forward to join this company is even better than I had expected, and I have every reason to believe the company will prove a thorough succeES.

The men are very keen and picking up their drill and duties in barracks very quickly. Non-commissioned officers have been appointed provisionally and will only be confirmed in their ranks on their passing an examination in six months' time. These acting non-commissioned officers are all doing excellently. recruits of this company are being put through a course of preliminary musketry drills and will fire their course as soon as practicable.

The

No. 2 Company (Militia Infantry) was embodied on the 20th August, under the command of Captain Cleare, an ex-Militia officer.

Applicants to join this company were numerous and the ranks could have been filled in a few days. Captain Cleare has, however, very rightly, been very careful in selecting his men and is in consequence forming an excellent company. His greatest difficulty is the want of non-commissioned officers, as practically none of his men has had any previous military experience.

The strength of this company to-day is 60 of all ranks.

The whole of this company is now sleeping in barracks, the same as No. 1 Company.

36311

No. 11A.

I have, &c.,

G. C. DE RINZY,

Colonel

THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR. [Answered by No. 17.]

(Confidential.)

SIR,

Downing Street, 23rd September, 1914.

WITH reference to your telegram of the 6th September* I have the honour to transmit to you the accompanying copy of a letter from the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury relative to your inquiry as to whether His Majesty's Government This letter was not would be able to purchase gold produced in the Colony. received in the Colonial Office until the 23rd September, and I am forwarding it I propose to telegraph to you later by to-day's mail for your information only. as to the action to be taken in regard to it.

WALTER EGERTON.

* 88564: not printed.

+ Not printed.

c 2

* No. 9.

I have, &c.,

L. HARCOURT,