CO129-414 - Governor Sir May - 1914 [10-11] — Page 268

Sir,

New Government Building,

Des Voeux Road,

Hongkong.

28th October, 1914.

264

I beg to inform you that at the meeting of the

Committee of the Hongkong Chamber of Commerce held on the 23rd

instant, the question of the continued raids on British Shipping

by the German Cruiser "Enden", under the able command of Captain

•

Von Huller, was specially considered. So long as this vessel

and the other cruisers which have recently been on the Eastern

Seas are afloat, uneasiness as to the safety of our mercantile

marine will continue, much to the detriment of trade.

The Committee are aware that every effort is being

made by H.M. Navy to capture, or destroy, these vessels and

trust that this work will be completed very shortly.

In the meantime my Committee consider it desirable

to make representations to the Government as to the assistance

which has been rendered to the enemy's cruisers by the supply

of stores and coals, which have been permitted to leave sundry

neutral ports in the Far East.

It is largely due to the assistance that these hostile

cruisers have been able to keep the seas as long as they have,

and to inflist the heavy losses which have recently been experiem-

ed on British Shipping.

Not only has the "Enden" alone destroyed property

which may be valued at considerably more than two million sterlin,

but further considerable loss has been incurred through the