CO129-421 - Governor Sir May - 1915 [3-4] — Page 457

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42 CONFIDENTIAL.

:

25314

REC

REG 1 JUNTS,

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONGKONG, 19th. April, 1915.

451

şir.

Zduny

Go I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt 6609

of your Confidential Despatch of the 17th. February forwarding a

copy of a letter from the Admiralty relative to the dealings of the

Eng Hok Fong Steamship Company of Hongkong.

2.

Enquiry made locally has elicited the following|

information regarding the S. S. "Marie". This vessel, which belongs

to Mr. M. Jebsen of Apenrad, was chartered on the 16th. December,

1913, by the Eng Hok Fong Steamship Company, Messrs. Jebsen and Company of Hongkong acting as Agents in the matter. The charter

party began to run on the 1st. March, 1914, and on the 4th.August,

1914, the ship was in the harbour of lianzanillo with a cargo of

Japanese coal on board, to be stored at that port for the use of

the Company's steamers "City of Mexico" and others.

3.

Owing to rumours of war the Eng Hok Fong

Company approached Messrs. Jebsen and Company pointing out that in

the event of hostilities the ship, being of German registry, would

be of no use to them and Mesars. Jebsen and Company agreed verbal-

-ly to cancel the charter party and to take over the cargo of coal.

In the meantime Captain Davidsen, Master of the S. S. "Maria",

being unable to communicate with Hongkong, telegraphed to Me sara.

Jebsen and Company at San Francisco for instructions. This firm

thereupon notified certain German Warships which were in San

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

LEWIS HARCOURT, M.P.,

&G..

&C..

&c...

Francisco