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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference -

mmmmmim C.O. 885

24 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

88

ONYLON.

I consulted the Executive Council, and, with its advice, an Order in Council-of which I enclose a copy-was issued on the 23rd October, 1914, under Section 4 (4) of the recent Ordinance 20 of 1914. Application was made to the District Court by the Attorney-General on the 24th October, and the Court, under Section 4 of the same Ordinance, issued its Order, appointing Messrs. Ford, Rhodes, Church & Company (Chartered Accountants) to be controllers of the business and trade of Messrs. Freudenberg & Company. The controllers entered upon their duties on Monday, 28th October, receiving the keys of the firm from the American Consul, to whom they had been handed, under protest, by Messrs. Freudenberg & Company. I enclose a copy of Gazette Extraordinary No. 6876, of 26th October, 1914,* ín which the Order of Court was published.

In this connexion I have to acknowledge the receipt of your Confidential despatches of 24th September and 25th September,† with which I have already dealt in my telegraphic despatches.

2. I have to acknowledge the receipt of the following telegraphic despatches :-

(a) Your telegram of 22nd October, requesting me to postpone sale of prize ships pending further instructions.

No sale of any prize ship was at the moment in contemplation.

(b) Your telegram of 23rd October, asking me to telegraph the names of firms which have copra or coconut oil to dispose of and quantities available.

The necessary information-part of which is indicated in the letter of yester day's date from the Low Country Products Association, of which a copy is enclosed

Is being collected and will be communicated to you as soon as possible.

(c) Your telegram of 23rd October, informing me that the Netherlands "Australia" should be allowed Government is anxious that the prize ship

to continue her voyage to the Far East.

I am not in favour of the course desired by the Netherlands Government, and telegraphed to you to that effect on 28th October, informing you that the cargo of the "Australia" had already been discharged, and that arrangements had already been made for reshipment; and, farther, strongly urging that I be authorized to offer this vessel for charter, and so assist Ceylon and Indian trade.

(d) Your telegram of 24th October, informing me that a limited use by the public of certain codes would be allowed.

I communicated this information at once to the Chamber of Commerce, the Chairman of which body hastened to express gratitude for the concession. I am also making the concession known for the information of the general public.

e) Your telegram of 24th instant, asking for information as to the sailing date of the "Fürth," and name of brokers who will report progress

of the vessel. The

"Fürth" sailed from Colombo for London on 23rd October, and I am addressing you in a separate despatch on the subject of this vessel.

8. The local contribution to the Prince of Wales's Relief Fund now exceeds the sum of three lakhs of rupees, which already have been remitted to you. In due course I shall be glad to receive an official acknowledgment of Ceylon's contribution to the fund in a form for publication here.

4. With reference to paragraphs 1 (d) and 3 of my despatch of 22nd October, Worcestershire" remains in harbour, with the I have to inform you that the s.s. contingent on board, ready to sail as soon as she receives the necessary instructions from the naval authorities, under whose escort the vessel is to proceed to Bombay en route for England.

5. To give assistance to the detachment of the Army Medical Corps stationed in Ceylon, and at the same time to make use of the present opportunities for training in Colombo, I formally called out the Ceylon Volunteer Medical Corps by Proclamation in Gazette Extraordinary No. 8874, of 22nd October;" but only a portion of the corps has actually been mobilized.

In addition to increasing by 50 the numbers of the Ceylon Artillery Volun- teers, so as to permit the despatch of a detachment of the Royal Garrison Artillery by order of the War Office, I have sanctioned the raising of a detachment of 30 Volunteer Field Artillery to man the ten-pounder guns now available in Colombo.

: No. 86.

* Not reprinted. † 84201 and 35648: not printed.

09

OBYLON.

6. In communication with the naval Commander-in-Chief I have prohibited entirely the local publication, in newspapers or otherwise, of any shipping intelligence whatsoever, whether as regarde mem-of-war or merchant vessels.

draw attention to the concluding paragraph of Mr. Stubba's despatch No. 166, of 19th March, 1913, to which you replied on the 30th May, 1913 (dempatch No. 302).*

7. In continuation of paragraphs 1 (c), (h), (i), of my Confidential despatch of the 22nd instant, I have to inform you that the Proclamation giving effect to your instructions was issued in Gazette Extraordinary No. 6874, of 22nd October (copy already enclosed). I informed you of the issue of this Proclamation This Proclamation was at once recognized as by my telegram of 23rd October. the most severe blow to local trade which has been received since the beginning of the war. Meetings of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and the Low Country Products Association were held at once to consider the position. The former body represented its views to me by letter of the 24th instant (copy enclosed), and at its earnest request I consented to forward to you an expression of its views by my Also, the Low Country Products Association telegram of the 25th October.

wrote to me on the 28th instant a letter, of which I enclose a copy (enclosure 3); and on the evening of the same day I summoned to conference at Queen's House the Committee of the Chamber of Commerce and the Honorary Secretary of the Low Country Products Association.

The Chamber of Commerce and the Low Country Products Association, while naturally anxious concerning their own interests, recognize most fully and loyally that no merely local interests can be allowed to interfere with the deliberate policy of His Majesty's Government, if such interference could in any way tend to imperil the safety of the Empire or assist the enemy.

Only such relief was desired or sought by these bodies as could safely be given without danger to Imperial interests.

I have, &c.,

ROBERT CHALMERS,

Enclosure 1 in No. 87.

Governor.

ORDER BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR IN EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, the 23rd day of October, 1914.

WHEREAS it has been ordered by the Governor that the members of the firm of Mesars. Freudenberg & Company, resident in Ceylon, be interned as prisoners of

war.

It is hereby ordered that it appears to the Governor in Executive Council that the control and management of the firm of Messrs. Freudenberg & Company is likely to be so affected by the state of war as to prejudice the effective continu- ance of its business and trade, and that it is in the public interest that the business and trade of the said firm should continue to be carried on. By His Excellency's Command,

To His Excellency

E. B. DENHAM,

Clerk to the Executive Council.

Enclosure 3 in No. 37.

41, Chatham Street, Colombo,

26th October, 1914.

Sir Robert Chalmers, K.C.B.,

Governor and Commander-in-Chief of

the island of Ceylon and the Dependencies thereof.

PROHIBITION OF Exports of certain Low COUNTRY PRODUCTS.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY,

Ar meetings held on the 23rd and 24th instant there was a general consensus

* 11412 and 17212: not printed.

† No. 86.