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APPENDIX I.

Extract from a Letter from the Admiralty to the Chairman of the Home Ports Defence Committee.

(Confidential.) (M-01364/1912.)

Admiralty, September 30, 1912. WITH reference to your letter of the 7th ultimo, B-27 (40), regarding a proposal to prohibit entirely the export of cargoes of stone, cement, bricks, and similar cargo at certain ports in time of war, I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to forward the following observations :-

2. With regard to Question (b) the measures to be taken by the Customs Authorities with regard to the "Treatment of Enemy and Neutral Merchant Ships in War," refer to outgoing vessels only; the question of incoming trade at certain ports where no Examination Service exists at present requires, in their Lordships' opinion, separate attention.

The prevention of attempts to block the Channels by incoming ships will usually rest with the Examination Services where such exist, but that is only the case at five out of the following sixteen ports which are considered as easily blocked ports:- Newhaven, Weymouth, Avonmouth, Cardiff, Penarth, Barry, Swansea, Dublin, Belfast, Londonderry, Barrow, River Clyde, Aberdeen, Leith, Hartlepool, Blyth. The eleven others include the four principal Welsh coaling ports and Barrow, which contains Vickers' building yard. There are fixed defences at all these five latter places, and the establishment of an Examination Service to work in conjunction with the defences would appear very desirable in view of the importance of keeping fairways clear from obstacles. The effective blocking of the exits from Cardiff, Barry, and Penarth would disorganise the whole coal supply of the fleet in war, and the blocking of the exit from Barrow would cut off the sea communication to one of the most important building yards in the country.

In view of the above considerations their Lordships consider that the question of establishing an Examination Service at Cardiff, Barry, Penarth, Swansea, and Barrow should be considered by the Home Ports Defence Committee as soon as possible.

At the remaining six ports there are no defences, and therefore no Examination Service would be effective unless carried out by armed vessels; but from a war requirement point of view these six ports are not of very great consequence.

I am, &c.

(Signed)

W. GRAHAM GREENE.

The Secretary, Committee of Imperial Defence, 2, Whitehall Gardens, S.W.

APPENDIX II.

THE Cost of Providing Electric Lights and Personnel for putting in Force an Examination Service at Cardiff and Penarth and at Barry.

Initial Cost.

Annual recurrent Expenditure.

£

Installation of electric lights (land, works, and

equipment)

11,400

R.G.A.: 1 Major, 1 Captain, 1 Subaltern, and

73 other ranks..

5,260

R.G.A. (T.), Special Service Section, 2 officers

and 88 other ranks

R.E., 2 Captains and 22 other ranks.

45 2,400

R.K. (T.), 4 officers and 24 other ranks

14

Total

11,400

7,719

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