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A.-2

No. 37. New Zealand, Dominions No. 650. My Lord,-- Downing Street, 16th August, 1919. With reference to my telegram of the 9th August, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying copies of a notice issued by the Board of Trade relative to the grant of war-medals to the British, Dominion, Colonial, and Indian mercantile marine. I have, &c, MILNER. Governor-General His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, P.C, G.C.M.G, G.B.E, M.V.O, &c.

A.-l, 1919. No. 28.

Enclosure. Notice to Members op the Mercantile Marine, and the. Pilotage, Lighthouse, and Fishing Services. War-medals. The following announcement has been made for public information :— I. —His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to signify his pleasure that the British War-medal which has been granted to His Majesty's Forces be granted also to the British, Dominion, Colonial, and Indian mercantile marine. hi the United Kingdom the medal, in silver, will be given to those who can supply such evidence as may be approved by the Board of Trade of having served at sea for not less than six months between the 4th August, 1914, and the llth November, 1918, inclusive; and those entitled to receive it will include licensed pilots, fishermen, and crews of Pilotage and Lighthouse Authorities' vessels, and of Post Office cable ships. In other parts of the Empire the qualifying service will be the same, but all details will be determined by the several Governments. ll.—His Majesty the King has also been graciously pleased to signify his pleasure that a Mercantile Marine War-medal be granted to the persons specified in the previous paragraph, who are qualified for the British War-medal, and who, in addition, can supply such evidence as may be approved by the authorities referred to in that paragraph of having served at sea on at least one voyage through a danger-zone. For this purpose a voyage through a danger-zone means — (a.) A voyage on a ship which entered or cleared a United Kingdom port, or a French port, or a Mediterranean port: (b.) Such other voyages in other parts of the world as shall be specified in a further notice. The medal will be in bronze, and the riband will be green and red arranged vertically, with a narrow white line between them. 111. —The authorities referred to in paragraphs I and II will determine whether any applicant is disqualified for the medals by reason of misconduct during the war. IV.—Officers, men, and women referred to in this announcement who, whilst serving at sea, were captured by the enemy or lost their lives through enemy action, or were precluded by disablement through enemy action from further service at sea before being able to complete their qualifying service for one or both of the medals, will be deemed to have qualified. V.—The medals earned by deceased officers, men, and women will be issued to their legatees or next-of-kin entitled to receive them. Vl.—lnstructions as to the submission of claims and other particulars will shortly be issued. Board of Trade, July, 1919. Instructions as to the Submission of Claims, &c, in the United Kingdom. (ft.) All applications should be made on the forms which are provided at mercantile marine offices and at the offices of Pilotage and Lighthouse Authorities. If, however, an applicant is unable to attend at any such office, a written request may be sent to the Marine Department, Board of Trade, London, for an application form. (b.) Officers, men, and women who have served during part of the war in the Royal Navy, R.N.R, or'under special Naval engagements (i.e., Form T 124 and its variants), in the Army, or in the Boyal Air Force, have in many cases performed service during some other part of the war which would entitle them to the Mercantile Marine War-medal. Such officers, men, and women will be awarded the Mercantile Marine War-medal if their claims are approved, apart from any further medal which they may be awarded under the regulations of the Admiralty, War Office, or Air Ministry. (c.) Qualifying service! will in all cases be service at sea, and not service in harbours, rivers, or other inland waters. (d.) Legatees or next-of-kin of deceased officers, men, and women will not be to participate in the preliminary distribution of medal-ribands, but must wait the distribution of the medals, to which the usual quantity of riband will be attached. (c.) The Board of Trade will be the sole judge as to whether applicants are qualified, under the terms of the foregoing announcement, for any, and, if so, for which, of the medals referred to. The preliminary issue to any applicant of medal-riband cannot by itself entitle the applicant to the subsequent award of the corresponding medal. Marine Department, Board of Trade, July, 1919.