CO129-443 - Governor Sir May - 1917 [7-9] — Page 64

it the circumstances, viz. that every effort should be made to

intain a nucleus of the regular British shipping services

eding with Honkong, and that as far as practicable this 58 rinciple should also be extended to the existing British ship- an; services in hastern raters generally. In view of the

ount of British tonnage already withdrawn for imperial service consider there should be no further reduction except in the ravost urgency. ve are in accord in a keen desire to moet resent Kational Var requirements but the question of the deplet-

of British Far Eastern tonnage and the consequent danger to interests of the Colony and British interests in the Far Last ould be carefully weighed as against the assistance further verted tonnage would be to Imperial interests and the effective r nduct of the war. lf the remaining British tonnage is left

se of roquisition we estimate it will represent a tonnage of

,000 d.w.c. which is approximately 150,000 tons short of the ount ordinarily required for the conduct of the Colony'e trade bal connecting lines.

14.

15.

We attach a memoranham detailing

(a) The shipping services, a nucleus of which

we recommend should be maintained with British tonnage, and preferebly with that tonnage which has been specially constructed or adapted for the trades in question. (b) The allied and neutral tonnage at present

operating in the same trades.

"e wish it to be understood that this report is tered on the teme of reference in our instructions, and that we ave no knoʻledge nor regard it within our province to consider the degree of urgency which influencer Imperial requisition of local shipping. He strongly recommend chartering by Goverment of allied or neutral torra whenever practic”ble without Lotriment to war operations for the two-fold purpose of relieving