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The Committee recommended that a telegram should be sent to the Egyptian Government, specifying the order to be made by the Court in the case of these two ships and of the "Lauterfels" and "Werdenfels."

3. Steamship "Derfflinger.”—Mr. Holt informed the Committee that he had told Messrs. F. C. Green & Company that their offer in regard to this ship had been accepted. The Committee agreed that the Company might send out the crew without further delay.

4. Steamship "Lutzow."—Mr. Holt informed the Committee that the Eller- man Steamship Company were awaiting further information before they made a definite offer for this ship. The Committee agreed that a decision might wait until a subsequent meeting.

5. Steamship "Lindenfels."-The Committee thought that there was no objection to the employment of this ship by the Indian Government for taking pipes out to India. It was understood that it was proposed to fill the ship with

cargo.

6. Alexandria Ships.-The Committee considered the position of all the ships held up at this port which had not hitherto been brought up for their consideration. They decided that Mr. Holt should approach Messrs. Harris, Dixon & Company with regard to the steamships "Sudmark" and "Annaberg." They recommended that the Admiralty should telegraph to Egypt to find out why the Aenne Rickmers" and Rabenfels" had been requisitioned, and that the Foreign Office should telegraph stating that his Majesty's Government proposed to requisition and bring home, a certain number of the ships at Alexandria. Mr. Holt undertook to make inquiries among shipping firms to find out whether

of them wished to hire any of the ships in question any

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7. Steamships Quarta" and Rajaburi.”—Mr. Holt stated that Messrs. Butterfield and Swire were telegraphing to their agents with regard to these ships, and that they would make a definite offer before the next meeting of the Committee.

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8. Steamships Adolf" and "Georg."-The Committee recommended that the Colonial Office and the Admiralty should telegraph to Gibraltar to say that Messrs. Tyzack and Branfoot's representative, Mr. Thompson, would examine these ships to report what methods should be adopted to dispose of them, and, in particular, whether the offer of £5,600 for the "Adolf "should be accepted.

9. Steamship "Kalymnos."-Mr. Holt informed the Committee that Captain Clark, acting on behalf of the Prince Line, would inspect this ship. The Com- mittee agreed to await the proposals of this firm. They recommended that the Colonial Office should telegraph to the Government of Malta to inform them of the inspection being made by Captain Clark.

The

10. Steamship “Erymanthos.”—The Committee considered a telegram from the Governor of Malta, stating that a portion of the cargo belonging to the Bagdad Railway Company had been condemned by the Prize Court, and a sale ordered. Committee recommended that a telegram should be sent inquiring what railway, material there was in addition to rails and sleepers, and asking for technical detaile as to the rails and sleepers.

11. Steamship "Werner Vinnen."-The Committee recommended that Messrs. Kellock & Company should be asked for their recommendations as to the disposal of this ship.

12. Steamship "Präsident."-The Committee recommended that inquiries should be made as to what was being done in making arrangements for this ship to be brought before the Prize Court at Zanzibar.

13. "Sexta," "Matupi," and "Siar."-The Committee recommended that the Government of Australia should be asked what was the position of these ships.

14. A letter from Mr. E. Ludlow, asking for the use of a sailing vessel for the coal trade for the west coast of Ireland, was considered. The Committee recom- mended that the Board of Trade should inquire of their surveyor at Liverpool what was the condition of the sailing vessel "Eduard," detained at that port. This ship had been mentioned by Messrs. Kellock & Company as suitable for the purpose.

15. The employment of Messrs. Kellock & Company as Auctioneers for the Committee. The Committee decided that the following rate of remuneration should be offered to this firm :-

A commission of 1 per cent. on the gross proceeds of all sales until the total of such proceeds reached the sum of £150,000.

After the gross proceeds reached £150,000, and until they reached £250,000, a commission of per cent.

On any further sales a commission of per cent.

The conditions of sale were also discussed by the Committee, but no decision was reached, as it had been arranged that the Chairman and Mr. Roper were to see the President of the Board of Trade that evening on the subject.

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16. Steamship Spreewald."-The Committee recommended that Admiralty should telegraph to the Commander-in-Chief at Devonport, instructing him to take an inventory of the ship. In the case of other ships, the Committee thought that inventories should be made through the Admiralty so far as possible. 17. Steamship "Istria."-Mr. Gilbert Samuel and Mr. Starling appeared, on behalf of Gilbert Samuel & Company, to discuss the position of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation in regard to the cargo. Mr. Samuel agreed that the best course would be for the bank to give a bond in the invoice value of the goods to carry out the directions of the Prize Court to realize the goods to the best advantage, and to account for the proceeds, less the cost of trans- porting the cargo to the United Kingdom and its sale. He agreed that if the goods fetched less than the cost of carriage the bank would be the losers. He agreed also that, in the event of the goods being released, the costs properly chargeable by the Court in respect of the release would be paid by the bank. The question was discussed whether, in the like event, the bank ought not to pay to the Admiralty the difference between the actual expenses of the voyage from Alexandria to the United Kingdom and the pro rata freight for the voyage from Alexandria. It was agreed that these points should be further discussed between Messrs. Gilbert Samuel & Company and Messrs. Waltons & Company, who should be instructed accordingly. When an agreement was reached the Court would be asked to make the necessary order. It was made clear to Mr. Gilbert Samuel that the Admiralty must be given an indemnity against all claims by third parties.

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THE TWENTY-Fourth MeetinG was held at the Colonial Office on Thursday, the 4th of February, 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. W. MALKIN, Foreign Office.

MR. L. D. WAKELY, India Office.

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

MR. T. H. HOLT, Crown Agents.

MR. R. A. WISEMAN (Secretary).

1. The minutes of the previous meeting were confirmed, subject to the omission of a portion of a sentence in paragraph 6.

2. Mr. Barstow informed the Committee that he understood that His Majesty's Government had approved, in principle, of there being one Imperial Prize Fund. He also stated that he understood that funds would be placed at the disposal of the Committee for dealing with (a) prize, and (b) detained, ships in oversea ports. He thought that the Assistant Paymaster-General of the Supreme Court would probably be made responsible for keeping the accounts for each ship. This officer would then receive all moneys which might accrue in respect of the ships, and would honour drafts for all expenditure authorized by the Committee. He hoped that definite arrangements would be made very shortly.

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3. Insurance. Mr. Holt pointed out that, if an uninsured steamer were lost in a case where the freight was payable on delivery of the cargo, the Treasury would lose the freight and have to pay the disbursements already incurred, viz., wages, The Committee decided coal, provisions, etc., which might be a considerable sum. that it was not necessary to effect an insurance in this matter, but that the Treasury should bear the risk.

The question of the insurance of cargoes awaiting adjudication in the Prize Courts, under the scheme which had been put forward by Messrs. Glanvill, Enthoven & Company, was discussed. The Committee thought that the details of the scheme should be discussed with Mr. Glanvill, personally, at a subsequent meeting.

The Committee agreed that Mr. Malkin might write to Mr. Glanvill accepting his proposal that the detained ships at Alexandria, which it was proposed to insure, should be valued by Messrs. Lachlan & Company. It was understood that the latter firm's charges would be two guineas per ship.

The Committee recommended that the India Office should adopt a similar policy with regard to the insurance of the ships under the control of the Indian Government, and that the provisional cover should be taken out at once with Messrs. Glanvill, Enthoven & Company. The Committee also recommended that the India Office should inform the Indian Government by telegram of the steps which they were taking, and should inquire what cargoes or detained ships would require insurance under this scheme.

Mr. Tennyson stated that this course was being taken with regard to Dominion and Colonial prizes.

4. Messrs. Hartley, Cooper & Company's claim for brokerage in respect of insurances upon enemy vessels detained at ports in the United Kingdom. À letter from Messrs. Waltons & Company in regard to this charge was read, as well as a The Com- letter which Mr. Teunyson had received from a member of Lloyd's.

They mittee were disposed to think that the firm's claim should be resisted. recommended, however, that the Secretary of the Admiralty Coasting Trade Office should first be asked to obtain from the Newcastle Managers, for communication to Waltons & Company, copies of all correspondence between them and Messrs. Hartley, Cooper & Company.

5. (a) Steamships "Lorenzo" and "Thor."-Mr. Holt stated that Messrs. should go to Cuba Farrar, Groves & Company had recommended that the "Thor to obtain a cargo of sugar, and that the "Lorenzo" should go to the River Plate. The Committee confirmed the agreement proposed to be made with this firm.

(b) Steamships" Erymanthos," "Kawak," and "Kalymnos.”—The agreement with Mr. James Knott, of the Prince Line, for bringing these ships to the United Kingdom was confirmed.

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Rooke."-An offer which had been received by the Admiralty through (c) 8.3. the Senior Naval Officer at Gibraltar for the purchase of this ship was discussed, and it was recommended that a reply should be sent to the effect that other arrange- ments were being made for dealing with her. The agreement with Messrs. Tyzack and Branfoot for bringing the ship to the United Kingdom was confirmed.

(d) Steamships“ Graecia” and “ Syra."--The agreements with Messrs. Tyzack and Branfoot for bringing these ships to the United Kingdom were confirmed.

(6) 8.8. “Derfflinger."-The Committee understood that the discharge of the cargo of this ship was not likely to be completed until the third week in February. They agreed, however, that Messrs. F. Green & Company could be informed that The Admiralty were to send they could send out a crew for the ship at once. instructions to Alexandria authorizing the delivery of the ship to Captain L. V. James, the agent of this firm, who was sailing on 6th February, and the Foreign Office were to telegraph, giving instructions for the ship to be registered at Alexandria.

The agreement with Messrs. Green & Company for the removal of the ship was confirmed.

Mr. Holt pointed out that the rate of remuneration offered to the firms with whom the agreements referred to under (a) (b) (c) (d) (6) wore being concluded differed slightly. He stated that the rate of remuneration which he intended to obtain in the future, if possible, was one of 5 per cent. on disbursements, and 11 per cent, commission on the gross freight clear to the firm concerned.

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The Committee recommended that, as the above agreements were accepted on behalf of the Admiralty, a copy of the general form should be sent to that Depart- ment for information, and each agreement submitted to the Lords Commissioners for approval after it had been executed.

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6. 8.8. Lutzow."-Mr. Holt informed the Committee that the Ellerman Steamship Company had declined the proposals which had been made to them for undertaking the management of this ship. The Committee agreed that the cost of certain telegrams which had been sent by this Company should be taken over by any firm working the ship.

The Committee thought that the terms offered by Messrs. Harris and Dixon were generally acceptable, but they could not agree to the qualification, which had been made by this firm, that if a higher rate of remuneration were paid in other cases the remuneration payable to them should be raised accordingly.

7. Alexandria ships not yet disposed of.-The Committee recommended that the Foreign Office should telegraph to Alexandria to inquire the names of the ships which were likely to be emptied of their cargo and available by the first week in March or sooner. Mr. Holt undertook to make further inquiries as to the shipping firms willing to undertake the management of any of these ships.

8. German ships interned at Massowah.—A suggestion from Messrs. Gellatly, Hankey & Company to remove the British cargo lying on these ships was considered, and Mr. Holt was asked to make further inquiries.

9. 8.8.

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Marquis Bacquehem."-The Committee recommended that a letter should be sent to Messrs. Hill, Dickinson & Company, reminding them of the letter already addressed to them, informing them that most of the cargo on board this ship was understood to be destined for Italy, and saying that, in the circumstances, the Committee thought it might be difficult to bring the ship home to the United Kingdom.

10. 8.3. "Fürth."-The Committee recommended that a letter should be sent to the Anglo-Persian Oil Company informing them of Messrs. Kellock & Com- pany's valuation, and saying that the Committee proposed to ask the Admiralty to consent to the sale of the ship to the Company at the figure at which she had been valued.

11. 8.8. "Spreewald."-Mr. Tennyson informed the Committee that an order had been made for sale by the Prize Court at St. Lucia. The Committee recom- mended that the ship should be registered in due course in the United Kingdom, in order to dispose of the difficulty involved in obtaining a different order from the Court after the ship had been requisitioned by the Admiralty.

Mr. Roper informed the Committee that the Board of Trade were in correspond- ence with the Treasury in regard to the conditions of sale, and it was decided that no further action could be usefully taken by the Committee at the moment.

12. s.8. "Birkenfels."-Mr. Tennyson read two telegrams which had been received from the Government of South Africa in regard to this ship.

The Committee considered that a portion of the cost of the upkeep of the ship and of the port dues payable should be met by the cargo owners, and they thought that the best method of apportionment between the Crown and the cargo owners would be to take some reasonable date, the delay after which could be regarded as due to the requirements of the cargo owners in reference to the sending on of the ship. Half the costs incurred after this date should then be charged against the cargo owners, and the other half attributed to the delays of the Cape Town Court and borne by the Crown. Any charges payable by the Crown would be met from the fund eventually established for prize ships. Dues payable on detained or prize ships should be regarded as payments made ex gratia.

The Committee considered a letter from Messrs. Waltons enclosing a draft offer of the Federal Steam Navigation Company. The solicitor's proposals were approved generally, except that the Committee thought that no charge should be made to the consignees in respect of the cost of telegrame to the Australian and South African Governments. The Committee agreed that the amount to be charged in respect of the expenses of the agreement should include Mr. William Richards' fee of £81.