'ग ग
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 882
12
I am to suggest, for the consideration of Mr. Secretary Lyttelton, that arrange- ments should be proceeded with for the internment of the prisoners as proposed in your letter of the 25th instant." #
30588
Confidential. No. 240.
Enclosure in No. 24.
Sir C. MACDONALD, Tokyo. (Received August 26, 1904.)
TELEGRAM.
I am, &c.,
F. A. CAMPBELL.
Your telegram, No. 115 [of August 24]- Japanese Government cannot ask as a matter of right that prisoners should be interned until the conclusion of the war, but they make earnest appeal that this request may be favourably considered by His Majesty's Government. They submit. following considerations:-
30578
(1) Japanese Government have very good evidence from confidential agents that some officers and men of the "Varyag" and "Korietz" have not kept their parole, but this evidence they cannot use officially. It is not, however, denied that Captain of the "Mandjur" was on board of "Petropavlovsk" when she sank.
(2) It is not known officially in what manner Weihai wei prisoners entered that port, but if they came within the scope of the British Declaration of July 14 (your telegram, No. 103, of 15th July), they should be detained in British custody " during the remainder of the war.' (3) Japanese Government are, of course, prepared to have any of their
prisoners taken by neutrals interned till completion of war.
"""
(4) German Government have agreed to intern prisoners from "Cesarevitch " and the destroyers until conclusion of the war, either at Kiaochou or in Germany.
SIR,
13
No. 26.
TREASURY to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received September 1, 1904.)
Treasury Chambers, August 31, 1904. I HAVE laid before the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury Mr. Lucas's letter of the 25th instant* (29673/1904), relative to the case of the officers and men of the Russian destroyer "Burni" (wrecked near Weihaiwei), who are to be interned at Hong Kong until the conclusion of the Russo-Japanese war.
My Lords think that the Russian Government should be approached concerning the expenses
of entertainment and internment of their nationals, and that a request may be addressed to that Government that the expenses actually incurred may be repaid direct to the Government of Hong Kong on presentation of a vouched monthly account certified by the latter. If, as my Lords assume, the Admiralty will have a claim to prefer for expenses of interning these Russian officers and men on board the "Tamar," it will perhaps be considered advisable to bring this claim to the notice of the Russian Government at the same time.
Subject to this, my Lords have no objection to the course proposed.
30659
SIR,
No. 27.
I am, &c.,
ROBERT CHALMERS.
FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received September 1, 1904.)
Foreign Office, August 31, 1904.
In reply to your letter, 30321/1904, of the 30th instant, † I am directed by the Marquess of Lansdowne to state to you, for the information of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, that, in His Lordship's opinion, the Governor of Hong Kong should be authorized to release the officers of the Russian man-of-war Burni parole under the conditions mentioned in his telegram of the 29th instant.
**
"
oli
8
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
SIR,
No. 25.
FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received September 1, 1904.)
[Answered by No. 29.]
Foreign Office, August 31, 1904. In reply to your letter, 29673/1904, of the 25th instant,* I am directed by the Marquess of Lansdowne to suggest, for the consideration of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, that, in the telegram which it is proposed to send to the Governor of Hong Kong respecting the treatment of the officers and crew of the Russian destroyer" Burni," the words "at such intervals as you consider necessary" might be added after the words " report themselves regularly."
Subject to the above modification Lord Lansdowne concurs in the terms of the instructions.
I am to add that the papers asked for in paragraph 4 of your letter are being. printed, and that copies will be forwarded to you as soon as they are ready.
No. 15.
I am, &c.,
F. A. CAMPBELL.
+ Subsequently received but not reprinted. (1) Convention pour l'Entrée et la Réception de l'Armée Française en Suisse. Signée à Verrières, le 1′′ Février, 1871." (2) "Instructions concernant le logement, l'entretien, lu solde et l'Administration des militaires Français internés.”
30588
No. 28.
I am, &c.,
F. A. CAMPBELL.
MR. LYTTELTON to GOVERNOR SIR M. NATHAN. (Sent 4.35 p.m., September 1, 1904.)
TELEGRAM.
[Answered by No. 31.]
Your telegrams of 20th August and 29th August. § The Admiralty state that accommodation on Tamar "must be regarded as only temporary. Presume you can make arrangements for internment on land. Colony will be refunded all expenses incurred. Officers should be confined by written parole to a defined area, and either provided with food and lodging or should be paid suitable allowance for purpose, having regard to cost of living at Hong Kong. They should report them- selves regularly at such intervals as you consider it necessary. For the men board and lodging should be provided and also small allowance for pocket-money. They should be allowed to correspond but they should be under military discipline within definite limits and with roll call.
• No. 16.
† No. 23.
‡ No. 21.
§ Nos, 9 and 21,
14