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Incoming Vessels.

18. The restrictions on the importation, exportation, and carriage constwise of certain cargoes, proposed above in paragraph 14, will reduce the risk of ports being blocked by incoming vessels. At most ports these restrictions will be enforced in the case of incoming vessels by the Examination Service. In separate Memoranda the Home Ports Defence Committee have, at the instance of the Admiralty, considered the establishment of examination services at Barry, Cardiff, Penarth, Swansea, and Barrow.

In the case of Barry and Cardiff (including Penarth) they have recommended that examination services should be established, and in the case of Swansen they have recommended that this should not be done, as, in their opinion, the importance of Swansea from a naval point of view is not sufficient to justify the cost of the additional defences required to render an examination service effective. (H.P.D.C. Memorandum No. 21-M.) The question of providing an examination service at Barrow is still under consideration.

19. At the following ports, mentioned in paragraph 7, viz., Avonmouth, Dublin, Londonderry, and Blyth, the question of establishing an examination service has not been considered by the Committee. At each of these ports the establishment of an examination service would involve the provision of new defences to support it, and the Home Ports Defence Committee do not consider that their present reference entitles them to discuss so large a question.

The representative of the Board of Trade on the Committee has, however, drawn attention to the fact that recent enquiries tend to show that Avonmouth possesses a national importance far greater than has hitherto been attributed to it. The enquiries of the Sub-Committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence which is considering the question of supplies in time of war, of which Mr. Stanley is a member and the Chairman of the Home Ports Defence Committee is Secretary, have elicited the fact that Avonmouth might prove of great value in connection with the supply of London and a portion of the Midlands in the event of an interruption of maritime traffic to and from London and eastern and south-eastern ports. The Committee also understand that Avonmouth possesses some importance in connection with the military arrangements for the embarkation of certain details for the expeditionary force. They venture to suggest that the attention of the Admiralty and War Office should be given to these considerations before the question of measures to prevent the blocking of commercial harbours is considered as finally disposed of.

Conclusion.

20. The Home Ports Defence Committee recognise that there is some risk of commercial ports being blocked by outgoing vessels laden with heavy cargo, more particularly during a period of strained relations, when the Customs authorities will find it difficult to obtain a force to support their authority There is also a risk that commercial ports may be blocked by incoming vessels similarly laden, and this risk is greater at those ports where no examination service has been arranged. The Committee are of opinion, however, that risks will be reduced in the case of both outgoing and incoming vessels by the restrictions on the importation, exportation, and carriage coast- wise of certain classes of goods, as proposed in paragraph 14, and in the case of outgoing vessels by the grant to the Admiralty and the Customs of greater powers to act in an emergency as proposed in paragraph 13. The mere proclamation of the existence of these statutory powers would exercise a deterrent effect on attempts to block these ports, more especially as the enemy would probably not know at what ports measures had been adopted to enforce them, or what force was available.

The Committee also desire to call attention to the recommendation at the end of paragraph 19.

(Signed)

BARRY DOMVILE, Secretary,

Home Ports Defence Committee.

2, Whitehall Gardens, S.W.,

March 27, 1913.

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