It is not clear that the Poles Report was intended for publication & I doubt if we ought to give some of the parties an explanation.
...
FYFE MACLEAN & CO., WRITERS. Henry B. Fyfe, C.J. Maclean, Robert Kerr, W. A. Blair.
RECEIVED. 3 APR 1906. FOREIGN. LONDON.
OFFICE: 115 Bt Vincent Street, Glasgow.
2nd April, 1906.
C. 0. 11658. West 3 APR 06:
The Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Office.
Dear Sir,
As we wrote to In Robson on 4/4, I see no reason why we should not give the substance of the answer.
13272/05.
The owners of the vessel "St Helena" have agreed with her Master.
HBL 1414 C.P.L. 4.
This vessel was at Hong Kong in April '05, and there was some difficulty with the crew in connection with refusal of duty. A number of the seamen and firemen were tried before the court in Hong Kong and were sentenced to a period of imprisonment for refusal of duty. We understand, however, that after serving a few days in prison they were liberated by order of the Home Government, but for what reason we have not yet been able to ascertain.
There is presently in court here a case at the instance of one of the seamen against the owners in connection with a balance of wages due to him, and the circumstances of the trial and imprisonment at Hong Kong require to be ascertained.
We shall accordingly be obliged if you will let us know whether you have any information upon the matter, particularly whether you have a report regarding the trial and also the grounds upon which the men were liberated.
We may say that we are acting for the owners of the vessel in asking this information.
Yours truly,