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MINUTES.

wish to see them, nor to the report* of the conference held on the 10th of September, 1914. under the presidency of His Majesty's Procurator-General, being also com- municated to Colonial Governments, provided that it was explained that the situation had altered since the date of the report.

8. As regards the sailing ships which the Belgian Government desired to charter, the Committee recommended that further inquiries should be made by Mr. Holt.

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THE NINETEEnth Meeting of the Committee was held at the Colonial Office on Monday, 18th January, 1915, at 3.15 p.m.

The following members were present:—

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

MR. W. J. EVANS, Admiralty.

MR. G. L. BARSTOW, C.B., Treasury.

MR. G. ROPER, Board of Trade.

MR. H. L. MALKIN, Foreign Office.

MR. L. D. WAKELY, India Office.

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

MR. T. H. HOLT, Crown Agents.

MR. R. A. WISEMAN (Secretary).

1. The minutes of the two previous meetings were confirmed, subject to two small alterations in those of the Eighteenth Meeting.

2. Treasury letter relative to the employment of the enemy vessels detained in ports in the United Kingdom.-The letter from the Treasury expressed general approval of the proposals made in the Second Interim Reportt of the Oversea Prize Disposal Committee. The Committee were informed, however, that the Treasury did not desire that the ordinary marine policies of insurance, apart from protection and indemnity risks, should be taken up. The Committee decided that their Managers at Newcastle should be instructed accordingly. As the floating policy taken up by the Admiralty Marshal expired on the day that these ships were put into commission, it was not thought necessary to inform him of the Committee's decision,

Mr. Barstow having explained that the view of the Treasury was that, although detained ships when put into use should not be insured, detained ships lving up in ports should be covered, the Committee recommended that a letter should be sent to the Commercial Union asking the Company to quote rates for the insurance of detained ships lying at oversea ports.

3. An account of travelling expenses forwarded by the Newcastle Managers was considered by the Committee, who recommended that the account should be forwarded to the Accountant-General of the Navy, requesting him to deal with it, and informing him that the Managers had attended the Committee on the days mentioned.

4. The Third Interim Report. The report was again considered by the Committee, and various alterations were made. Subject to these the report was approved.

5. Mr. Watson, the Chairman of the London Coal Supplies Committee, appeared to discuss the procedure which should be set up for dealing with the chartering of enemy vessels detained at ports in the United Kingdom.

The Chairman stated that he wished to make quite sure that the Coal Supplies Committee represented all the interests in London that required to be considered, and he referred specially to the bunkering and household coal interests.

Mr. Watson undertook that his Committee should include representatives of these interests if they desired to be included.

MINUTES.

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Mr. Watson stated that his Committee had not yet appointed an agent at Newcastle, but that the various firms represented on it each had local agents whom they were employing at present to represent their interests in Newcastle.

The Committee recommended that the Board of Trade should write to all the public service undertakings interested asking them to send in a return of shipping contractors and their coal contractors.

6. The opinion of the Attorney-General on Mr. Malkin's memorandum* rela- tive to the employment of detained enemy vessels was read to the Committee.

7. Registration of Indian Ships.-The Committee recommended that the Government of India should register enemy vessels as Government ships under the Order in Council of 1911. It was decided that the India Office should write to the Admiralty with regard to registration.

8. Mr. Wakely informed the Committee that the "Lindenfels" had arrived at Gravesend. The Committee recommended that the India Office should obtain particulars as to the order made by the Prize Court.

9. Steamship "Birkenfels.”—A telegram from the Union of South Africa relative to the charges which had been made in connexion with this ship was considered by the Committee, and they recommended that a reply should be sent to the Union Government asking for an explanation of various items.

10. Steamship "Fürth."-The Anglo-Persian Oil Company's proposals to charter were not considered satisfactory, and the Committee decided to recommend that, subject to the consent of the Admiralty, this ship should be sold to the Company, the price to be fixed later on. It was thought that the large Government interest in the Company, the Company's difficulty in obtaining tonnage, and the fact that the price quoted was largely in excess of any offer obtained from the thirteen firms from whom tenders had previously been invited, justified the Committee in depart- ing from its normal rule of sale by auction. The Committee also understood that the state of the ship's boilers was very bad.

The Committee recommended that Messrs. Kellock and Company should be asked to make a valuation of this ship.

11. Steamship "Frisia."-The Committee decided to refuse the offer which had been received from the Peninsular and Oriental Company for the charter of this ship from Hong Kong to the United Kingdom.

The Committee recommended that Mr. Holt should enter into negotiations with the Peninsular and Oriental or any other Company which he thought might be suitable, with a view to their being engaged to bring the ship home on behalf of the Committee: the firm to receive a chartering commission.

12. Steamship "Slawentzitz." It was decided to bring up the question of this ship at the next meeting, after further inquiries had been made about her.

The Committee thought that possibly some of the cargoes which had been turned out of British and neutral ships at Gibraltar, and afterwards released, might be sent on to their original destinations in any prize shin which it was decided to send up the Mediterranean from Gibraltar to load, and they recommended that the Governor should be asked for particulars of any such cargo which had been released from ships detained at the port, including a statement of the original destination.

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13. Steamships Emir" and Erymanthos."-The Committee were not willing to accept an offer which had been received from Mr. C. C. Barrie for the purchase of these ships. Mr. Barrie was to be informed that it was proposed to bring these ships home to the United Kingdom.

14. Steamship "Kawak."--The Committee recommended that the Prize Court at Malta should be asked to rescind the order for sale. This ship should be brought home to the United Kingdom for disposal.

* No. 2 in Appendix D.

No. 1 in Appendix D.

† No. 2 in Appendix A.

No. 8 in Appendix A.