CO885-24 — Page 238

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

THC.O. 885

24 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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MINUTES.

5. Other ships.-The Committee also discussed the following ships:

‚" "Barenfels,” and the s.v. "Bellas." Koerber," "Kandy," "Diyatalawa,"

6. 9.8. Grahamland.”—-Mr. Holt informed the Committee that a report had been received to the effect that £1,500 would be required for repairs to this ship at Vancouver. The Agent-General for British Columbia and the High Commissioner for Canada had both been asked to impress upon the local authorities the need for reducing expenses so far as was consistent with putting the ship into a seaworthy condition.

7. s.s. "Lucia."-The Secretary informed the Committee that the Admiralty had now decided that this ship was required for use as a submarine depôt ship. It was decided that she should be handed over to the Transport Department as from the 30th of August. She was to be valued by Messrs. Lachlan and Company.

8. s.s.

Paros."-The Committee discussed upon what fund the loss of this ship should fall. It was agreed that it must be met out of the proposed insurance fund and that the valuation should be that fixed for insurance purposes.

LL

An application from the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevo- lent Society for the refund of certain expenses incurred in relieving members of the crew was to be brought up when Mr. Barstow was present.

"Altair" and

Frisia" : The Com- 9. Fees for valuations.—(a) Steamships mittee agreed that Messrs. Lachlan and Company should be paid a fee of one guinea each for making the inventories of these two ships, as this sum had been paid to them Kalymnos." No further fee should be in connexion with the inventory of the s.s. paid for these ships.

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(b) 8.5. "Lutzow": The Committee considered a letter from Messrs. Lachlan and Company reporting the result of an interview with the Transport Department - relative to the valuation of this ship. The Committee decided that they could not increase the fee payable to Messrs. Lachlan and Company beyond the amount already agreed upon, and that if extra work had been caused in connexion with the valun- tion of this ship owing to the work which had been done for the Transport Depart- ment it was for that Department to meet the expenses. The correspondence should be sent to the Transport Department for observations.

""

(c) s.3. Istria": The Committee considered that, as in the case of the 8.8. "Lutzow," no further fee should be paid by them to Messrs. Lachlan and Company beyond the amount already agreed upon. They were not aware on what ground it was suggested that an additional fee should be paid in this case, and the Transport Department should be asked for observations on this point.

Goslar

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(d) s.s.

: The Committee agreed to pay the fee for the valuation of this ship, having regard to the fact that she had been condemned since the date of the valuation.

(e) s.s,

"Haidar Puscha Mr. Holt reported the result of his inquiries into the charge of seven guincas for surveyors' fees at Belfast included in the accounts of Messrs. Galbraith, Pembroke and Company. Having regard to the explanation of this firm it was agreed that this charge must be borne by the Transport Depart- ment and not by the Committee's funds.

10. s.s. "Tandem."-The Secretary informed the Committee that the Consul- General at Marseilles had proposed that four-fifths of the freight due for this ship should be paid up at once pending the settlement of the difficulty with the charterers. The Committee recommended that Mr. Holt should ask Mr. Hughes for his views npon this suggestion.

11. 3.0. Pax."-The agreement with Messrs. Fisher, Alimonda and Company was approved.

The Committee recommended that Messrs. Glanvill, Enthoven and Company should be asked for their views as to the basis upon which the value of the cargo ez this ship should be reckoned for insurance purposes.

The Secretary informed the Committee that the Governor had reported that the Commanding Officer of H.M.S.Glasgow" concurred that this ship was not suited for sea trade. It was agreed that no action should be taken pending the arrival of the captain who had been sent out to bring the ship home.

12. 8.J.

MINUTES.

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Thor."-The Secretary reported that this ship had been valued by Messrs. Lachlan and Company at £21,726 38. 7d. The Committee noted that Messrs. Lachlan and Company had forwarded an account for the valuation based upon the rates of remuneration suggested by the Transport Department, but they were unable to approve of the payment of a larger fee than that which had already been agreed upon.

13. s.s. "George R."-The Committee decided that the accounts for this ship should be sent to their accounting officer for a report.

14. British Columbia timber.-The Secretary informed the Committee of the correspondence which had taken place between the Colonial Office and the Admiralty on this subject. It was agreed that a letter should be sent to Mr. H. R. MacMillan enclosing a copy of the correspondence and informing him that in the circumstances the Committee did not propose to consider further the question of sending a ship to British Columbia.

15. Insurance of cargoes ex 8.8. "Kongfos."-The Committee agreed that they would be liable to pay premium on the cargo from this ship until the date of its release, but that after that date the Government of Zanzibar must be responsible for the cargo. They also agreed that the cargo should, if possible, be handed over to the liquidator who was, they understood, to be appointed to wind up the local branch of Oswald and Company, and the premium recovered from him.

16. Insurance of ships.-The Committee approved of the payment of £42 to Messrs. Glanvill, Enthoven and Company for the valuation by Messrs. Lachlan and Company of certain ships included under the Committee's insurance scheme.

17. Telegrams sent by the Crown Agents for the Colonies.-The Committee approved of the payment of £3 98. 2d. for these expenses.

18. Form of report to be made by the Registrar of every Vice-Admiralty or Colonial Court authorized to act as a Prize Court.—The Committee considered the form of return proposed by the Admiralty and suggested various amendments. They recommended that the Registrar of the Prize Court in this country should be con- sulted before the forms were finally settled.

1341

THE SEVENTY-Seventh MEETING of the Committee was held at the Colonial Office on Monday, 6th September, 1915, at 3.15 p.m.

The following members were present:-

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

MR. C. HIPWOOD, 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.

2. s.r." Yawry."-

."-The Secretary read to the Committee the report of an inter view between Captain Milman and Mr. Holt as to the stores which it had been necessary to supply to this ship and those which had been pillaged. The Committee recommended that the substance of this report should he sent to the Governor for his observations.

The Secretary informed the Committee of the result of the Naval Court which The Committee had been held upon the master and other officers of this ship. agreed that the new officers and the seamen required to replace those who had been invalided should be sent out on the 8.8. Apapa," as it was understood that no accommodation was available for them on board the s.s." Pindos."

GE

The Committee considered the report of Messrs. Houlder, Middleton and Company on the accounts forwarded by the Governor of Sierra Leone showing the dlisbursements of the Colonial Government :-