CO129-428 - Public Offices - 1915 — Page 23

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(153785)

£0965 RECE

21 REG 4 NOV 15

3.S. Persia of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company having been purchased by the Toyo Kisen Kabushiki Kaisha, Japan, her actual transfer took place at Hongkong on October 11th last, and the parties concerned had at the time no knowledge of the provisions of the British Ships (Transfer Restriction) Act, 1915. Unless the approval of her transfer is granted by the British Board of Trade, the Company will experi- ence great embarrassment in their conduct of business, owing to the fact that the purchase was made with the purpose of putting her on the regular service between Japan and America, so as to fill the gap caused by the withdrawal of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company from the Pacific, and it is feared at the same time that, in view of a considerable shortage of ships available, the

will trade between the two countries above-mentioned meet great impediment of that score.

Under these circumstances, and especially in view of the fact that the ship, though registered as British, was actually owned by the Pacific Mail Steam- ship Company and her purchase by this Japanese Company was bona fide, it is desired by the Japanese Government that His Majesty's Government will have the goodness of according a favourable consideration to the matter at an early opportunity.

Japanese Embassy,

London.

November 3rd 1915.