PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 882
SIR,
36
Enclosure 1 in No. 66.
Hong Kong, November 14, 1904. I HAVE the honour to forward, for Your Excellency's information, a memo- randum of an interview which took place between Sub-Lieutenant Pini, in charge Russian refugees, and myself.
His Excellency
The Governor.
(Confidential.)
CHIEF STAFF OFFICER, South China,
A.
I HAVE the honour to report as follows:
I have, &c.,
V. HATTON,
Major-General, Commanding Troops, South China.
Kowloon, November 11, 1904.
This morning at 9.30 a.m. the non-commissioned officer of the guard over the Russian encampment reported to me that he had refused admittance to a Ghinaman, as he had no pass. That Sub-Lieutenant Pini came and asked him to allow the man to pass within the encampment. The sergeant replied that he could only take orders from the Officer Commanding encampment, Major Sexton. That Sub- Lieutenant Pini answered that he was commanding the camp, and not Major Sexton. I then went into the enclosure and asked 2nd Lieutenant Pini if I could do anything for his men. He said not, but that he wished to speak with me. He then asked that he might be given the correspondence relating to his request for leave and its refusal, as he intended sending the documents to St. Petersburg. I told him that I would ask the Chief Staff Officer. He then told me that the sergeant had refused to let in a Chinaman, although he himself had ordered him to allow the man to enter the encampment. I answered that I regretted the occurrence, but that the sergeant was carrying out his orders. Sub-Lieutenant Pini then said that he alone could issue orders inside the encampment, as he, and not I, was commanding. I told him he was wrong, as I had been appointed Commanding Officer of the camp and the persons therein by His Excellency the Governor. Sub-Lieutenant Pini then replied, "I do not recognise this." I again pointed out to him he was wrong, but he again replied, "I do not recognise this." Thereupon I announced to him that it would be my painful duty to report his reply to the Chief Staff Officer, for the information of the General Officer Commanding. He replied that I might do so.
J. J. O'B. SEXTON,
Major, 110th M.L.I., Officer Commanding Russian Camp.
37
5. That his application for leave to go to Shanghai came before me, and was not recommended because it was to seek the advice of the Russian Admiral at Shanghai, who had no authority in the matter. Sub-Lieutenant Pini said that this matter was forming the subject of correspondence between the British and Russian Governments.
6. Sub-Lieutenant Pini was made to distinctly understand that Major Sexton is his commanding officer, and that the orders of the sergeant of the guard cannot be altered, except that people passed in under written instructions or personal introduction of the Russian officer commanding the refugees shall be permitted to do so by the sergeant of the guard.
7. Sub-Lieutenant Pini was instructed that he is at liberty to make any protest he desires, but while doing so he must obey the officer put over him, and that he under military control. He now quite understands his position, and has nothing to say against it.
8. Sub-Lieutenant Pini was told that I understand his protest and consider that his reply to Major Sexton was in the nature of that protest, and not a breach of military discipline.
Sub-Lieutenant Pini now seemed to understand that his protest having been made, he should take orders from Major Sexton, against whom personally he had no complaint whatever to make.
Countersigned:
42860
SIR,
A. A. CHICHESTER,
Chief Staff Officer.
Major,
No. 67.
V. HATTON,
Major-General, Commanding in South China.
TREASURY to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received December 20, 1904.)
[Copy to Foreign Office, December 24, 1904. L.F.]
Treasury Chambers, December 19, 1904. In reply to Mr. Lucas's letter of the 10th instant (41146/1904),* I am directed
by the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury to request you to inform Mr. Secretary Lyttelton that they have no objection to the arrangement proposed therein with regard to the method of treating the expenses of interning at Hong Kong the crew of the Russian destroyer "Burni."
I am, &c.,
G. H. MURRAY.
8
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH--NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
42860
Enclosure 2 in No. 66.
Head Quarters Office, Hong Kong, November 12, 1904.
1.
At 10.45 a.m. Sub-Lieutenant Pini appeared.
2. The statement marked "A" was read to him, and he stated it was a correct account of what passed.
•
3. Sub-Lieutenant Pini said he denied the authority of Major Sexton, because he could not be under any foreign officer without directions from St. Petersburg. In answer to a question from me he told me it was the "rule of his service" not to acknowledge the authority of any foreign officer without instructions from St. Petersburg.
4. It was pointed out to Sub-Lieutenant Pini that he has been handed over by the authorities in London to be dealt with by the Governor and his agents, as refugees, to be interned during the Russo-Japanese war, and such agents were his superior officers.
No. 68.
MR. LYTTELTON to Governor SIR M. NATHAN. [Copy to Foreign Office, December 24, 1904. L.F.]
(Confidential.)
SIR,
Downing Street, December 23, 1904. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your confidential despatch of the 2nd of November, † and to inform you that His Majesty's Government have
no objection to the arrangement which you have adopted in connection with the expenses of interning the crew of the Russian destroyer "Burni."
I have, &c.,
ALFRED LYTTELTON.
• No. 65.
† No. 64.
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