Copy.
Enclosure No
2011
See (x)
Ci
59500/45
TELEGRAM SENT. G.T.C.
From: Governor,Hong Kong.
To: Secretary of State. (723).
Rept'd: Commodore, Hong Kong. (821).
C-in-C. B.P.F. (822).
Date: 1.8.46.
Small Craft. According to terms of Admiralty letter M/S.VP./E. T. 5127/45 of 17th August 1945 they accepted and placed on C-in-C East Indies responsibility for provision
According to para. 8(a) of our requirements of small craft.
The
Their Lordships proposed to deliver them in the area. total number involved was 100. Responsibility was later transferred to C-in-C B. P. F. by Admiralty letter of same reference of 25th September.
2. In light of local conditions and practicability of shipping craft to Hong Kong we reduced commitment to minimum requirement of 78 craft. Arrangements were made by VA(Q)
To date 16 have been Sydney to supply from Australia. received and a further 10 have recently arrived on EMPIRE CHARMAINE.
3. In view of scarcity of heavy lift ships which entails delay in lifting craft and of dispersal of B.P.F. base in Sydney it was necessary to arrange storage of a number of these with civilian caretakers. See Agmiralty signal to VA(Q)
Sydney DTG 052010 April.
4. Question then arose as to financial responsibility for caretaking arrangements. Our interpretation of para.l of Admiralty signal referred to was that term R.N.requirements included those for delivery to civil government and that Admiralty had accepted financial responsibility as a natural corollary of their responsibility to supply and ship. Opposite view however was taken by VA(Q) but pending decision
19 craft were stored arrangements for storage were made and with Ferrier Dickinson at Sydney at a cost of A£1000 for installation plus £2 per week per craft.
5. Ferrier Dickinson have now presented Reeve with Bill for A£1366 in respect of charges to June 30th, and question has become urgent. With present heavy lift programme it appears likely that craft will remain in storage for very considerable period and final account may be heavy.
6.
of remainder understand 13 are being stored in naval yards and 20 RCL's are being supplied by Ministry of Transport as all R.N. RCL's have been handed over to them before our
It is not known yet what arrangements requirements were known.
have been made for these.
7.
Grateful you approach Admiralty on matter and present our point of view. Please press for early decision.
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