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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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PERC.O. 885

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24 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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MINUTES.

THE SEVENTY-FOURTH MEETING of the Committee was held at the Colonial Office on Monday, the 16th of August, 1915, at 3.15 p.m.

The following members were present:-

MR. W. J. EVANS, Admiralty (in the Chair).

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

MR. H. W. MALKIN, Foreign Office.

MR. W. 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.

8.S.

"Koerber."-Mr. Holt reported that the managers had received a tele- gram to the effect that all the cargo on this ship was insured and that it was probably not necessary to dry dock the ship or to execute structural repairs, and that in this case she would probably leave Alexandria on the 25th of August. The Transport Department were to be informed of the date of departure.

3. s.s. "Paros."-The Secretary was to write to the Admiralty stating that this ship had left Karachi on the 18th of June, and was due to arrive in Manchester in the course of the present week to discharge her cargo. The Admiralty were to be informed that unless she was urgently required for naval or military purposes the Committee proposed to put her up for sale.

4.

8.8. Senegambia."-Mr. Holt reported that certain repairs were required to this ship, and that their cost was estimated at about £400.

Mr. Malkin reported that he had discussed this ship with M. Fromageot, the legal adviser to the French Foreign Office, and it had been agreed between them that, subject to the consent of their respective Governments, this ship should be regarded as a joint capture and be adjudicated upon at Hong Kong.

5. s.s. "C. Ferd Laeisz."—Mr. Malkin reported that he had discussed this ship with M. Fromageot, and had arranged that, subject to the consent of the respec- tive Governments, this ship should be adjudicated upon at Paris, and that the Admiralty should appear in the French Prize Court and argue their claim that she should be regarded as a joint capture.

6. Submarine Signal Apparatus.-The Secretary informed the Committee that Messrs. Kellock had raised the question as to what should be done with the "Emil." It had been stated that the submarine signal apparatus on the 8.8. apparatus could easily be removed if this were thought desirable. The Committee decided that the apparatus should not be removed from the ship hot should be sold separately.

Mr. Tennyson reported the result of an interview with the Procurator-General's Department relative to the apparatus on the steamships "Helgoland," "Lutzow, and "Hanna Larsen." It appeared that that department had no doubt that the The Committee Court had intended to condemn the apparatus on the "Schlesien." decided that, when a reply had been received officially from the Procurator-General, a letter should be written to the Prize Claims Committee informing them of the action taken with regard to the steamship "Emil" and referring the question of the apparatus on other ships to that Committee for consideration.

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7. $.8. Lorenzo.'

."-The Committee passed the accounts of this ship, subject to the report of their accounting officer. Mr. Holt pointed out that there was a charge made in these accounts for "composition under the head of "Repairs," and care was to be taken that no similar charge had been made by the Trinidad Govern- ment for paint in their account for dry-docking.

8. 8.8. "Gracia."-The Secretary read a letter from the Director of Trans- ports relative to the transfer of this ship. Having regard to the Secretary's letter of the 29th of June, the Committee decided that the date of transfer should be the date on which the ship had completed the discharge of her cargo at Calais. As regards the cost of the repairs referred to, the Committee were only prepared to

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undertake the liability for the cost of repairs due to damage incurred while the ship was under the Committee's control. Before a letter was sent to the Transport Department Mr. Holt undertook to obtain a report from Messrs. Tyzack and Bran- foot as to the date of this vessel's discharge and the date of the damage referred to. 9. 8.8. Frisia." The inventories for this ship, which had been returned by the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, were to be returned to the Admiralty.

10.

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s.v. "Terpsichore."-The Secretary reported that £207 11s. 5d. had been recovered from the underwriters in respect of a portion of the expenses incurred by Messrs. R. Thomas and Company on taking over the ship. The Assistant Pay- master-General was to be asked to note that this sum had been paid over.

Messrs. Kellock and Company were to be paid their account for £7 138. Od. for taking the inventory.

9.5. "

11. Annaberg."-The Secretary reported that this ship had now been condemned by the Prize Court at Alexandria. The ship was to be valued, but before this was done the Transport Department should be informed of the order for condemnation, and asked whether there was any prospect that the ship would be arriving in the United Kingdom.

12. 8.8. "Goslar."-The Secretary reported that this ship had now been con- demned by the Prize Court at Alexandria. The Committee agreed to accept the valuation already made by Messrs. C. W. Kellock and Company on the instructions of the Transport Department. The Assistant Paymaster-General was to be asked to note the valuation.

13. 8.8. · Basilan.”—The Committee approved the payment of Messrs. Kel- lock's charges for the valuation of this ship.

14. s.s." Adolphus."-The Committee considered the report of the Assistant Mr. Holt undertook to make Paymaster-General on the accounts of this ship. inquiries of Messrs. Tyzack and Branfoot as to the points raised. The Committee thought that it was reasonable that the management commission should be charged on freight and demurrage. They also considered that the war bonuses to the officers and crew must be accepted.

15. Other Ships.-The Committee also discussed the following steamships : "Tandem," Marquis Bacquehem," "Istria," Lucia," and the "Erymanthos."

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16. 8.3. Emir."-The Committee considered certain correspondence which had been forwarded by the Admiralty relative to the pilfering which had taken place on board this ship at Gibraltar. They were of opinion that the facts discussed by the correspondence were not of a nature which required any action to be taken on their part.

17. 8.8. "Lutzow.' -The Committee reported that this ship had been valued by Messrs. Lachlan and Company at £145,030, and the consumable stores at £4,657 158. 7d. Copies of the certificate of valuation for the ship were to be sent to the Transport Department and to the Assistant Paymaster-General to note, and a copy of the valuation of the consumable stores was to be sent to the Transport Department.

18. 8.8. Andros." Mr. Evans informed the Committee that the Commander- in-Chief of the East Indies had reported that he would shortly be able to release this ship from the examination service at Suez. The Secretary was to write to the Admiralty and to say that the Committee proposed to sell her unless she was If she were required for the urgently required for naval or military purposes. transport service the ship must be taken over by the Admiralty at Suez. Mr. Holt was asked to make preliminary inquiries in case it should ultimately be necessary to appoint managers to bring the ship home.

19. 8.8. "Erna Woermann."-Mr. Evans asked whether the Colonial Office would have any objection to the adjudication of this ship in London instead of in South Africa. It was thought that there would be no objection.