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MY 03,
FOREIGN OFFICE,
BERLIN,
May 15th, 1903.
The undersigned has the honour to inform the
British Ambassador, Sir Frank C. Lascelles, in answer
to his communication of February 6th last, that it
appears from reports now come to hand that the Com-
manders of His Majesty's Ships "Kaiserin Augusta" and
"Fürst Bismarck", did not cause to appear again before
the Court the sailors of the above ships living in
Hong Kong, who had been released on deposit of the
bail demanded, and also did not give to the Court any
explanation of such action for the reason that they
based their conduct on the supposition that the Court,
in conceding the release against deposit of bail, had
handed over the prisoners to them for punishment, as
indeed has otherwise often been done.
The Commanders believed that it was as much
their right as their duty for themselves to punish
the misdemeanants, as soon as the latter were deliver-
ed over to them, by German law, and such punishment
followed