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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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TTILTICO. 885

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MINUTES.

7. s.o. "Carl."-Mr. Holt reported that Mr. Starkey had agreed to pay £500 in settlement of his liability to redeliver this vessel to Cardiff. The Committee decided to accept this offer provided payment was made at once.

The Committee approved the arrangement which the Secretary had made for the inventory to be checked on their behalf by Messrs. Kellock.

8. s.o. Chile." The Committee decided that a formal claim should be made through Messrs. Glanvill, Enthoven and Company in connexion with the damage to the rudder of this vessel. Mr. Holt undertook to take the necessary action.

9. S.v.

between

Yawry."-The Committee considered correspondence Messrs. Houlder, Middleton and Company and Captain Dagwell regarding a claim made on behalf of the Committee against the captain for money expended for his fare and expenses at Dakar. The Committee decided that the captain should be asked to pay £20 in respect of these charges.

The Committee decided that an account for two guineas in respect of survey fee to Captain Lawson for examination of the wire hawser should be made good to the Government of Sierra Leone.

*

10. 5.8. Koerber."-Mr. Holt reported that Messrs. Curtis and Harvey, to whom he had offered the nitrate of potash on board this steamer on the recommenda- tion of the Munitions Department, had offered £32 a ton. Major Bagot's assistant, of the Ministry of Munitions, had advised that this was a very good price, and the Committee decided to accept it. The money should be paid to the person to whom Messrs. Fairclough, Dodd, and Jones were paying the proceeds of the sale of the other cargo.

64

11 8.8. Bangor."-The Committee considered a telegram from the Acting Governor of the Gold Coast with reference to the 118 tons of coal er this steamer which had been refused by the Gold Coast Government. It was decided to await reports from the other Colonial Governments concerned.

12. Ships for Canadian wheat. The Committee approved the proposal that the "Chile," Terpsichore," and "Carl" should be fixed for wheat from Portland, Maine, at 50s. to 55s. a ton if freights could be obtained.

13. Steamships "Chowtai” and “Sandakan.”-The Committee decided that the present marine risks and war risks policy on these vessels should not be renewed, but that they should be insured against protection and indemnity risks immediately, if not already insured.

14.

3.5. "Rooke." The Committee considered a letter from the Admiralty asking that the 8.8. "Rooke" should be handed over to them. It was decided that this should be done.

15 5.8. Annaberg."-The Committee agreed that, in view of the letter which had been received from the Transport Department, Messrs. Kellock and Company should be instructed to verify their valuation of this steamer. They should, how- ever be instructed to satisfy themselves, before reducing the valuation in respect of any damage sustained, that the damage had not been caused since the date of the previous valuation.

16. 8.8. "Pollokshields"; Date of transfer to Transport Department.-The Committee considered a letter from the Transport Department with regard to the date of transfer of this vessel. The Secretary was directed to reply to the effect that the Committee would not be responsible for any expenses incurred after the vessel reached Cardiff.

17. 8.8. "Emir." (a) The Secretary reported that the Port of London Authority had agreed to refund the inward port rates in respect of the condemned hemp and sisal ez this vessel. The Committee agreed that the claim of £2 12s. 11d. for delivery charges on the condemned mangrove bark must be paid to the Port of London Authority. (b) The Committee decided that no refund need be made to the claimant of the 4,220 bags of mangrove bark in respect of the freight and expenses collected from him. The Governor of Gibraltar should, however, be informed of the action taken in this country.

18.

8.8. "Fresh field."-The Secretary read a letter from Messrs. Churchill and Sim relative to the condition of this cargo. He was instructed to ask Messrs. Churchill and Sim what method of sale they proposed for her.

MINUTES,

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19. 8.0. "Paz."--The Committee considered the despatch of the 14th of Sep- tember from the Governor of the Falkland Islands to the Colonial Office relative to this vessel. They do not think it is necessary to take any action in the matter.

20. Submarine signalling apparatus: steamships “Hanna Larsen" and "Helgoland."-The Secretary reported that the Prize Claims Committee had no objection to the Committee paying rent for the apparatus attached to these vessels. It was decided that the rent should run from the dates on which the Committee took over these vessels respectively.

21. Insurance of ships at Zanzibar.—The Committee considered the question whether the dhows and lighters ordered to be detained at Zanzibar should be brought under the cover or not. The Secretary was instructed to ascertain the value of all vessels of this kind which had been ordered to be detained at Zanzibar and remained in port after ordered.

14

22 Steam vessels "Neath," " Chile," "Clevedon," and Bellas."--The Com- mittee approved the management agreements of these vessels.

23. Accounts: Sierra Leone.-The Committee considered a memorandum drawn up by the Secretary with regard to some accounts which had been received from the Prize Court, Sierra Leone. It was decided that a representative of the Admiralty Marshal's Department should be invited to attend the next meeting of the Committee.

24. Steamships “ Rajaburi" and "Quarta."-Mr. Holt undertook to inquire of John Swire and Son, Limited, whether they desired to continue the charter* of these vessels, which it was understood would expire during the month of November.

1479

THE EIGHTY-FOURTH MEETING of the Committee was held at the Admiralty on Wednesday, 27th October 1915, at 3.15 p.m.

The following members were present:—

1.

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. H. W. MALKIN, Foreign Office.

MR. T. H. HOLT, Crown Agents.

MR. C. TENNYSON. C.M.G., Colonial Office (who acted as Secretary in

the absence of Mr. Wiseman).

The minutes of the Eighty-third Meeting were confirmed.

2. Prize Court Accounts at Sierra Leone. Mr. Rackham, of the Admiralty Marshal's Department, attended the Committee to discuss a memorandumt which had been prepared with regard to Prize Court accounts received from Sierra Leone. The following decisions were come to :-

(1) Annexure B. Items 1 to 3.-It was decided that an inquiry should be made as to whether the amounts paid for wages had been paid in respect of the period before or the period after seizure, and, if the latter, in respect of what services, or for what other reasons.

Item 4.-Mr. Rackham informed the Committee that the custom in this country was for the ship and proceeds of sale. if the ship were condemned and sold, to bear all the expenses of discharge up to the ship's rail, and for the expenses from the ship's rail to be borne by the cargo pro rata, released cargo paying its share. thought, however, that this would be liable to variation according to the custom of the port and the provisions of the bills of lading in each case.

He

Item 5.-It was decided that an inquiry should be made whether these mails were for Sierra Leone or for any other, and what, port.

Item 8. Customs overtime fees.-An inquiry should be made as to the services in respect of which these fees were charged.

Item 7. Crane hire for removal of engine parts. This should fall on the ship. Item 8. Light and harbour dues. A report should be obtained on this point according to the principles laid down in the recent Colonial Office circular.

* No. 9 in Appendix B.

No. 8 in Appendix D.

It