CO885-24 — Page 24

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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Reference :-

CO. 885

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

24 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

98

BRITISH HONDURAS.

MESSRS. CRAIK AND COLPOYS to THE COLONIAL SECRETARY.

SIB,

9th December, 1914.

We have to acknowledge receipt of draft contract.

We would beg to advise you as to the following suggested additions (1) Provision for heirs.

(2) Damage done to property: that we should not be responsible for any damage done except wilful carelessness.

(3) Planting fruit trees on grant: for the benefit of the Colony in general, the law providing against importing diseased plants should be thoroughly enforced. Florida, whence it was proposed obtaining grafts, is now destroying acres of planted lands on account of scale.

(4) Repayment in kind: only corn is mentioned; other crops should be added on account of crop rotation. Even on virgin soil we could not grow corn for six consecutive years.

(5) Survey of grant: Mr. Brunton will, we believe. be finished at Southern Stann Creek within the next fortnight.

As regards other matters, we would like to have a copy of the map of the Government farm at Melinda, for reference.

Would it be possible for the Government to order agricultural, and the like, periodicals? Mr. Colpoys is a member of Agricultural Society of Ceylon and Agri- Horticultural Society of India, besides subscribing to other like periodicals. Although he is quite willing for others to have the use of such papers he is not able to subscribe to any more, especially as the Government would probably get them for nothing.

We are, &c.,

CRAIK AND COLPOYS.

THE GOVERNOR to THE Colonial Secretary.

COLONIAL SECRETARY.

If either he or Mr. Craik I think by "heirs" Mr. Colpoys means next of kin. died the Government would come on the land for the advances and on the personal estate so far as it had been increased by money or produce of the land, but not to any greater extent.

I suggest that these gentlemen insure their lives for, say, $2,500 each, or more, The Government will pay the premiums and add as security to the Government. them to the advance. If death occurs any excess of assurance money over deficit will go to personal representatives.

We can let them have your copies of agricultural publications.

As to repayment in kind: corn is the only produce mentioned in the first proposition, and we have not agreed on a price for any other. But they are not confined to corn. If they raise anything else they must arrange for selling it, paying the proceeds to the Government as part repayment of the advance.

The S.G. may arrange for the survey of the 500 acres.

11th December, 1914.

37/8

CEYLON.

No. 25.

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 25th August, 1914.)

(Confidential.)

SIR,

W. C.

The Queen's House, Colombo, 6th August, 1014. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your telegraphic instructions as mentioned below, and to report the action taken by me thereon:

$7

CEYLON.

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(i) Your warning telegram of the 29th July was received in the early hours

of the following day.

I at once communicated with the Naval Com- mander in Chief and the Brigadier-General Commanding the Troops, who were at the moment absent from Colombo, and steps were taken in accordance with the arrangements laid down, with the exception that Į did not immediately give orders for the mobilization of the Ceylon Engineer Volunteers, being satisfied, after consultation with the Brigadier-General, that at that stage their services were not actually required.

(ii) Your telegram of 30th July deferring the enforcement of the Examina- The Examination Service tion Service was received the same evening.

had not been put in force, though arrangements therefor were well in hand.

Meanwhile arrangements were made, at the request of the Naval Com- mander in Chief, to secure an adequate supply of coal, oil, and cotton waste, the local coaling firms showing every disposition to meet the Government in the matter.

(iii) Your telegrams of the 1st instant, with reference to the stoppage of leave of certain officers and the enforcement of the Examination Service, were received early on the 2nd, and necessary action promptly taken. The Ceylon Engineer Volunteers were called out for duty to assist the Royal Engineers in connexion with the Examination Service.

(iv) On the receipt of your telegram of the 2nd instant, the Royal Naval

Reserves were called out.

(v) Your further telegram of the same date, with regard to the enforcement of the Censorship, was received on the morning of the 3rd, and the necessary steps were taken at once.

(vi) Your further warning telegram of the 3rd instant was duly communi-

cated to the naval and military authorities.

(vii) Your telegram of the 4th instant regarding the proclamation of a moratorium was duly received, and the instructions to shipping conveyed in your further telegram of that date were communicated to the responsible officers.

(viii) Your telegram of the 4th instant regarding the prohibition against the exportation of certain articles from the United Kingdom was received next morning. I have not thought it necessary to do more locally than to prohibit the exportation of Welsh coal, a step which I took at the request of the Naval Commander in Chief. But I am in communication with both the naval and the military authorities on the subject of what further action, if any, is desirable in this direction.

(ix) Your telegram despatched at 11 p.m. on the 4th instant, in which you informed me of the outbreak of war with Germany, reached me shortly after 7 a.m. yesterday.

The necessary preliminaries had already been gone through and no time was lost in perfecting arrangements and issuing the requisite Pro- clamations. I was, and have been, in close communication with the Naval Commander in Chief and the Brigadier-General, to both of whom I desire to record my obligations for their most ready and cordial co-operation.

(x) Your telegrams of yesterday's date regarding the treatment of neutral and enemy shipping and the question of contraband were received, and action has been taken as directed.

(xi) The instructions contained in your telegrams received to-day as regards

trading with the enemy are being complied with.

2. I enclose copies of the Government Gazettes, containing the various Pro- clamations issued.

3. I am glad to be able to report that everything is quiet in Ceylon and that the public remains calm, although business is, of course, more or less seriously affected.