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Sir,
AMERICAN CONSULAR SERVICE.
1748
43
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Hongkong, November 5
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In line with the request of the respective applicants
or protestants, I have the honour to transmit herewith certain letters I have received from German residents in Hongkong interned in the prisoner of war camp bearing upon the matter of their imprisonment and in general asking that they be allowed to leave the Colony as prisoners not liable to military service and therefore entitled to be released. With the various letters submitted in some cases are submitted military records or other proof of the claims made in each case. Where the military records are not submitted it is my understanding that they are at present in the hands of the military authorities.
I am impelled to call attention in this connection to the fact that the absence of military papers on the part of persons detained in Hongkong is not necessarily proof of their liability to military service and of the legality and propriety of their detention. Several of these people have claimed that they lost their military papers or in some cases that they never had any other than a general certificate of exemption for some particular reason. They have claimed in each instance, however, that they can secure proof if the military authorities will permit them to do so. However, at the present time apparently the only authority they can secure in support of their contention is that of various German consular officers since communication with Germany is at present impossible. I should be glad to hear from the proper authorities as to what proof is required in any particular case and whether a statement of military law from German consular authority would be valuable. Apparently in some cases this is the only practicable proof to be had but it seems to me that with a release from the
Honourable
The Colonial Secretary,
Hangrong.