PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
'། ་། ་། ་། ་
C.O. 882
8
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
26
2. The place of internment will be a site selected by the Military Authorities
in consultation with an officer of the Public Works Department of the Colony in the proposed "King's Park." On this site an encampment will be formed, surrounded by a wire fence.
3. The legislation to be enacted will provide for the persons in detention being governed by regulations prescribed by the Governor. An officer will be told off by the General Officer Commanding to be in charge of the persons detained. He will see that the regulations are adhered to, that discipline is maintained, and that all arrangements are made for the health and reasonable comfort of the persons detained. This officer is referred to hereafter as the Commanding Officer.
4. The Commanding Officer will draw up a table of parades and duties, including an evening and morning parade at which a roll call will be made, and at which all officers who have not obtained leave and all men will be present.
5. The following regulations and arrangements refer specially to the Russian officers :-
(1.) They will give their written parole not to go beyond Kowloon, within the old boundary, or Victoria, within the limits of the city as defined by Ordinance, without special permission.
(1.) They will inform the Commanding Officer before going to Victoria, and will obtain from him the special permission referred to in preceding paragraph when desirous of going beyond the prescribed limits.
(III.) They will be accommodated in a matshed constructed within the en- campment, and will be allowed to mess with the Hong Kong and Singapore Battalion and the 110th Mahratta Light Infantry, these regiments having expressed their willingness to make the officers honorary members of their messes.
(Iv.) Not more than two officers to be absent at one time from the encamp-
ment, except to go to the messes indicated.
(v.) An officer of the day will be detailed who will be responsible for bringing any irregularity that may take place to the notice of the Commanding Officer.
(VI.) Officers will wear uniform outside their quarters except when going to
social evening entertainments.
(VII.) They will receive an allowance at the rate of $200 a month each, from
which they will defray all their messing and other expenses.
6. The following regulations and arrangements refer specially to the Russian
men :-
(1.) They will be confined within the encampment and only be permitted to leave it in military formation accompanied by not less than two of their officers, for the purpose of taking exercise under such instructions as the Commanding Officer may issue.
(11.) They will be accommodated in a matshed, the necessary latrine, cooking,
washing, and water supply arrangements being provided for them.
(1.) They will receive an allowance at the rate of 50 cents per man per day, this allowance to be issued to them weekly through the senior Russian officer, who will furnish a written statement that the pay has been issued to the men.
(v.) They will receive rations on the scale of British troops.
(v.) They will do their own washing, and cooking and fatigue duties within
their own encampment.
(vi.) Sick men will report at morning parade and be medically examined at Victoria, the Russian Consul being communicated with in case inter- pretation is required.
27
(VII.) Arrangements will be made for the establishment of a shop within the encampment for sale to the men of tobacco, beer, tea, sugar, vegetables and fruit, stationery, &c.. but no wines or spirit. (VIII) An unarmed guard will be furnished by the men within the encamp-
ment and an unarmed sentry posted from it at the entrance.
7. The erection of the fence, construction of the matsheds, &c., the furnishing of quarters, the payment of officers and men and all other special expenses that may be necessary will be defrayed in the first instance by the Military Authorities on account, supported by the necessary vouchers being submitted monthly to the Treasurer of the Colony for repayment from Colonial Funds.
36474
No. 51.
MR. LYTTELTON to GoVERNOR SIR M. NATHAN. (Sent 5.15 p.m., October 24, 1904.)
TELEGRAM.
[Answered by No. 63.]
M. N.
The Admiralty propose small-arms surrendered by crew of "Burni" should be stored at Hong Kong by Colonial Government till end of war.
36829
(Confidential.)
No. 52.
I agree.
FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received October 26, 1904.)
The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs presents his compliments to the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, and is directed by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to transmit, to be laid before the Secretary of State for the Colonies, copy of a paper relating to the internment of the crew of the Russian torpedo-boat destroyer "Burni."
Foreign Office,
October 25, 1904.
(No. 198.)
SIR,
Enclosure in No. 52.
THE MARQUESs of LansdowNE to Sir C. MACDONALD.
Foreign Office, October 19, 1904. THE Japanese Minister questioned me to-day upon the subject of the intended treatment of the officers and crew of the "Burni." I informed him that the matter had been very carefully considered by His Majesty's Government, in consultation with the Law Officers of the Crown, and that the facts seemed to us to establish conclusively that the loss of the "Burni" was the consequence of the naval operations in progress between the belligerents, and that the vessel had been destroyed in order to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Japanese. In these circumstances we felt bound to intern the officers and crew until the end of the war, in accordance with the decision which had been announced to both belligerents.
I am, &c.,
LANSDOWNE.
20 11
D 1
36474
28
No. 53.
COLONIAL OFFICE to ADMIRALTY.
[Copy to Governor, October 27, 1904. Confidential. L.F]
(Confidential.)
SIR,
[Answered by No. 55.]
i
Downing Street, October 25, 1904. I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Lyttelton to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 21st instant,* and to request you to inform the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that he sees no objection to the proposal that the small-arms surrendered by the crew of the "Burni" should be stored by the Colonial Govern- ment at Hong Kong until the conclusion of the war.
2. A telegram has been addressed to the Governor in this sense.
36560
No. 54.
I am, &c.,
H. BERTRAM COX.