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COPY.
Jonclosure 1.
C.O
34042
RECE
REG2 || JUL 181
346
His Excellency the Officer Administering the Govern- -ment met the Vital Requirements Committee and Sub- -Committee, the Commodore, and Lieutenant Oldman at 11 a. m. on Thursday the 15th. Movember, 1917, the Colonial Secretary being also present.
The.
The Commodore said that Lieut. Oldman had been sent by the Admiral to consider the question of the provision of tonnage for the vital requirements of Hongkong. Imperial Government must have the ships suitable for its purposes, and it remained for the local authorities to replace these by the old unsuitable ships. They came back in fact to the position that information must be got as to the actual vital requirements of the Colony. The treating of the problem piecemeal led to delay. It would much simplify matters if the Committee would say definitely what runs were really necessary.
His Excellency said that the Ho Hong case supported Mr. Eakin's contention that it was not possible to fore- -tell the requirements of the future.
Lieut. Oldman said that the Admiral asked that all possible assistance should be given to Colonel Thomson, who was a shipping expert, one of the Thomsons of Leith, He understood that Colonel Thomson's appointment had been definitely decided upon. There was no question of administration from India. The Admiralty would take all possible ships from the China Coast, perhaps some 25 more. It was necessary to arrive at a working arrangement with Singapore in order to use the remaining British tonnage to the best advantage of both Colonies.
In Singapore they had had a scheme working satis- -factorily for several monthe past, They took the import
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