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MINUTES.

THE TWENTY-first MeetING of the Committee was held at the Colonial Office on Monday, 25th 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. MALFI, Foreign Office.

Mx. L. D. WAKAKY, India Offee.

MR. T. H. HOLT, Crown Agents.

Ma. C. TENNYSON, C.M.G., acted as Secretary in the absence of Mr."

Wiseman.

1. The minutes of the Twentieth Mooting were confirmed, subject to an alteration in paragraph 13. Mr. Holt stated that he had been asked, not to submit å form of charter, but to complete a charter. This had been done, and the charter submitted to the Admiralty.

2. Spreewald" and "Lindenfels.”—It was agreed that Messrs. Kellock and Son should be instructed to put up the "Spreewald" for sale on the conditions applicable to sales in the United Kingdom. Mr. Lovell, the Admiralty Marshal, appeared before the Committee, and stated that he had no objection to this procedure and did not claim to exercise any control over the sale of Colonial prize ships. He promised to send the Committee a statement as to the rate of remuneration paid by him to Messrs. Kellock in connexion with the sale of prize ships.

As to the "Lindenfels," the Government of India had been asked to state whether they desired to keep this vessel in the Indian trade, and it was decided to await their answer before deciding as to the sale of the ship.

3. A question was raised whether Messrs. Waltons and Company should be asked to take charge of the sales. The Committee recommended that an inquiry should be made of the Treasury Solicitor as to the practice in dealing with ships condemned in this country.

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4. Schneefels.”—A letter from Messrs. Waltons and Company was read, enclosing policies making up the £100,000 provided for in clause 2 of the Agreement. It was decided that a telegram should be sent to the Governor of Gibraltar, inform- ing him of this fact, and the policies handed over to the Admiralty.

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5. 'Gracia,” “Syra,” Slawentzitz."-Mr. Holt reported that Messrs. Tyzack and Branfoot had agreed to load these ships home on condition of receiving 5 per cent. of their disbursements and the usual brokerage on chartering. Mr. Holt was asked to invite them to include the Slawentzitz in this agreement, and to have a form of agreement settled by Messrs. Waltons and Company.

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8. Adolf" and "Georg."It was decided that Messrs. Kellock should be asked to advise whether it would be wise to put these ships up for sale by public auction here. A telegram should be sent to the Governor of Gibraltar, asking him to have the ships reappraised, as the appraisements made appear excessive.

7. "Emir."-An agreement on the lines of that proposed for the "Græcia " and "Syra" should be entered into with the Elder Dempster Company. A telegram should be sent to the Governor immediately asking particulars as to freight paid and unpaid, and as to the names of the consignees, in order that a decision might be reached as to the possibility of collecting freight on delivery for the voyage from Gibraltar, and as to insurance.

8. "Kawak" and "Erymanthos."-Mr. Holt stated that James Knott and Company were willing to bring these ships home on payment at the rate of 2s. per ton per annum on the gross tonnage and 7 per cent, on the net profits. These terms were agreed to, and Mr. Holt was asked to arrange with Messrs. Waltons and Com- pany for a short agreement embodying them to be drawn up.

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MINUTES.

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"Frisia." Mr. Holt had completed the charter for this vessel, and the Governor had been informed by telegraph. It was decided that a farther telegram should be sent explaining that the charter was to load rice from Rangoon, and that the ship would be insured here against protection and indemnity risks.

10.

"Bethania."-A telegram from the Governor of Jamaica was read, asking that this ship might be chartered to the United Fruit Company for Jamaica produce. As this ship has been requisitioned by the Admiralty to bring horses froma New Orleans, it was impossible to comply with this suggestion, but Mr. Holt was asked to suggest to Mesars. Farrar, Groves and Company the possibility of running the "Thor" and "Lorenzo" in the West. Indian trade.

11. Ships employed by the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia in trade.-A letter from the High Commissioner was read, stating that six of these ships were due to reach England in about the last week of February. It was recom- mended that inquiries should be made of the agents for these vessels as to whether any arrangements had been made for their return voyages.

(Admiral Slade had to leave the Committee at this point, and Mr. Evans took the chair.)

12. Insurance of cargoes and detained ships.-Letters from Messrs. Glanvill and Enthoven were read, and it was decided to ask them to cover all the cargoes detained at Alexandzia at an estimated value of one-and-a-half million, at a rate to be arranged later. Meanwhile, it was recommended that telegrams should be sant by the Foreign Office, India Office, and Colonial Office, asking for the particulars required by Messrs. Glanvil and Enthoven, and that the Secretary should arrange with Mr. Glanvill to submit terms of a provisional cover for all oversea cargoes and detained ships, pending the collection of the information required.

13. Draft Agreement with the Managers of the Admiralty Coasting Trade Office. The draft, as submitted by Waltons and Company, was considered. Some alterations were suggested, and it was decided that Mesers. Waltons should be asked to embody these in the draft, and submit it as amended to the Treasury Solicitor. Colonel Leslie and Mr. Newbigin attended the Committee, and the present position with regard to the chartering of the detained ships in the coal trade was discussed.

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THE TWENTY-SECOND MERTING of the Committee was held at the Colonial Office on Thursday, the 28th 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. MALEIN, Foreign Office.

MR. L. D. WAKELY, India Office.

MR. T. H. HOLT, Crown Agents.

MR. C. TENNYSON, CM.G., acted as Secretary in the absence of

Mr. Wiseman.

1. The minutes of the Twenty-first Meeting were confirmed, subject to an alteration in paragraph 5, in which it should have been stated that Mesers. Tyzack and Branfoot were to receive the usual brokerage on chartering the steamers.

2. A representative of Messrs. Galbraith, Pembroke & Company attended the Committee with a proposal (on behalf of Mesars. P. Henderson & Company, of Glasgow) to charter a steamer, with March loading, from Rangoon to Liverpool, with rice. It was suggested that they should make arrangements to take over the

" Gutenfels

" "Baren fels or

on arrival at Calcutta. Mr. Holt undertook to continue negotiations with the Company,

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3. “ Birkenfels.”—A telegram from the Governor-General of the Union of South Afrion was read, reporting the order made by the Prize Court allowing the cargo to be carried to Australia. Telegrams from the Governor-General, report- ing certain offers to purchase the "Birkenfels," and asking whether it was pro- posed to make arrangements for the "Hamm" and the "Apolda" to proceed on

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