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18. So far as the legal authority for the action of the Customs Officers is concerned the Home Ports Defence Committee consider that the solution of the question lies in the direction of the grant to the Admiralty of powers in an emergency to order the detention of ships regarded by the Admiralty as being suspicious, and to the Customs powers to detain the ships on the requisition of the Admiralty. The presence of any such ship would be reported telegraphically by the local Customs authority to the Admiralty, who would instruct him to detain the ship if the detention is considered necessary or advisable.

14. Under the existing law the importation of certain goods, i.e., socharin, tobacco, and wine is restricted to certain ports appointed by the Commissioners of Customs and Excise. The Committee recommend that the Customs should also be granted legal powers which would enable them to restrict to certain ports the importation and exportation or carriage constwise of goods (such as stone, cement, &c.) which might be used for the purpose of blocking the fairway. It is thought that these powers might be conferred by a section in general terms included in a Revenue Bill. The powers, if granted, should be exercised at the request of the Admiralty, during strained relation, with due regard to the considerations set forth in paragraph 13 of Home Ports Defence Committee's Memorandum No. 25 M, quoted above in paragraph 7.

15. The compilation of the list of such articles as can be restricted without imposing an undue burden on the trade of the country will be a matter for arrangement between the Admiralty and the Board of Customs and Excise, in consultation with the Board of Trade, when the requisite legal powers have been obtained Should it, however, be considered impracticable to obtain these powers in time of peace in the near future, the Committee recommend that a Bill should be drafted and kept ready for enactment on an emergency arising, and, if this course is adopted, the list of restricted articles should also be drawn up and kept ready, in order that there may be no delay in acting as soon as the necessary legal authority has been obtained. The responsibility for taking the initiative in the above arrangements, both in peace and war, should lie as respects legislation with the Treasury, as respecta the list of articles with the Admiralty in consultation with the Board of Trade, and as respects the ports with the Admiralty in consultation with the Board of Trade and the Board of Customs and Excise. The consequential arrangements should be embodied in the relative Sections of the War Book.

16. So far as the provision of a supporting force is concerned the position is as follows:-

(a.) In time of peace, prior to a state of strained relations, the arrangement recorded in Appendix IV can be relied upon as a means of supplying to the Admiralty information as to the presence at any port of suspicious ships with a view to any necessary action by the Coast Guard in support of the Customs. (b.) In the precautionary stage the Coast Guard will be withdrawn and the Customs authorities will be without any form of support on which they can rely. (c.) After the outbreak of war the Customs authorities will have the assistance of the supporting force arranged for in connection with the arrangements for the treatment of neutral and enemy merchant ships in time of war.

17. The Home Ports Defence Committee recognise that in the absence of supporting force there is some risk that in time of strained relations an out-going vessel might succeed in blocking the entrance to a port, notwithstanding the efforts of the Customs authorities to prevent it.

Having regard to the considerations set forth in paragraph 4, however, and to the fact that the trade in stone, &c., is not very likely to be interfered with during, strained relations, the Committee do not consider it necessary that special military supporting forces should be supplied to support the Customs authorities at commercial ports during the precautionary stage. Should an emergency arise the Collector of Customs should, if time permits, apply to the officer commanding the nearest naval or military force for such assistance as he may find it possible to render.

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