PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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ITILL CO. 885
24 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- | COPYRIGHT PHOTOGIEËNOT TO
104
CNYLON.
December informing you that Captain F. C. Smith (Ceylon Planters' Rifle Corps Reserve), whom I had recommended for a commission as captain, had left for England on 4th December by Bibby Line 8.8. "Herefordshire" in hopes of obtain- ing a commnission on arrival. I informed you at the same time that. I recommended for a commission as lieutenant Mr. F. G. Morley, Acting Assistant Colonial Auditor. Mr. Morley, who is 41 years of age, held a commission as Second Lieutenant in the Army Service Corps (24th Company-Transport-Pretoria) and had nine years' experience in the Civil Service Volunteer Rifles.
5. In continuation of paragraph 1 (g) of my Confidential despatch of 5th November last,* I have to inform you that I have now been able to "place under restraint" all the known female German subjects in Ceylon.
Arrangements have been made by which the good conduct of those ladies who are not voluntarily interned or in hospital is vouched for by responsible persons of some position in the Colony.
I annex copies of correspondence on this subject from His Grace the Arch- bishop of Colombo, His Lordship the Bishop of Jafina, the Administrator Aposto- lic of the Diocese of Trincomalee, the Reverend J. A. Ewing, the American Consul, Miss Collier, Mrs. Dunn, Mrs. Tranchell, Mr. A. Alvis, Mrs. Waldock, the Honour- able Mr. R. B. Hellings.
6. I enclose, for your information, extract from the Times of Ceylon for Tuesday, 1st December last,† giving publicity to a letter to the Manchester Courier from a Mr. William Wicherley, of 35, Dunster House, Mincing Lane, E.C., in which he complains of the freedom at that time allowed to German traders in Colombo.
Messrs. Wicherley & Company have a branch in Colombo. It appears that At the beginning of before the war this branch was in a very precarious state. October, however, the local manager, Mr. F. Gillies, accepted an offer from Messrs. Freudenberg & Company to finance the business-receiving from them a salary of Rs. 400 a month, presumably as manager. Telegrams from Wicherley, London, to Wicherley, Colombo, of 1st October and 6th October show that the firm was attempting to export copra to Holland in considerable quantities.
The sudden resuscitation of the Colombo branch by the aid of German capital and the commencement of business in foodstuffs with Holland form an instruc- tive commentary on the bona fides of the writer of the letter to the Manchester Courier of 29th October, 1914.
7. In a separate despatch of this day's date I deal with the Hagenbeck allegations
8. I also await a reply to my cipher telegrams :-
(i) of the 5th instant, relative to a proposal for a certain revision of taxation, and
(ii) of the 7th instant, dealing with a War Office proposal about the local garrison.
The latter proposal was so far-reaching in its eventual possibilities that I bave refrained from assenting therete without the authority of His Majesty's Government, who will be cognisant, as I am sot, of the outlook by sea as well as by land.
I have, &c.,
ROBERT CHALMERS,
Governor, &c.
SIR,
1,05
CEYLON.
Archbishop's House, Colombo,
2nd December, 1914. In reply to Your Excellency's letter No. 819, of the 27th ultimo, I have the honour to inform you that I have communicated the contents of your letter to the Bishop of Jaffna and to the Administrator Apostolic of Trincomalee, and advised them to give written undertakings to be responsible for the German and Austrian sisters within their Dioceses.
I beg to state that, besides the sisters mentioned in my letter of the 6th ultimo, there are in my Diocese two German sisters in the Government Hospital of Kurune- gala, one in the Convent of Wennappuwa, and one in the Convent of St. Anthony, Kanatte Road, Colombo,
I have the pleasure to inform Your Excellency that the Rev. Mother Superior of the aforesaid sisters and myself undertake, without the least hesitation, "to be responsible for them.
Herewith I enclose the list of the German and Austrian sisters in the General Hospital, Colombo, as desired.
His Excellency
The Governor of Ceylon,
Colombo.
I have, &c.,
A. COUDERT, Q.M.I.,
Archbishop of Colombo.
NAMES OF THE German and AUSTRIAN Sisters in the GENERAL HOSPITAL, COLOMBO.
1. Sister Marie Adelheid
2. Sister Marie Vitalina
3. Sister Marie Hermana
4. Sister Marie Odilon
5. Sister Marie Adelharda
6. Sister Marie Laura
7. Sister Marie Olga
8. Sister Marie Brigida
9. Sister Marie Daniel
10. Sister Marie Fausta
11. Sister Marie Tarsilia 12. Sister Marie Willeges
YOUR EXCELLENCY,
Germany
Germany
Hungary
Alsace
Austria
Austria
Austria
Austria
Anstria
Austria
Austria
Austria
Bishop's House, Jaffna,
50th November, 1914.
I HAVE the honour to inform you that Sister Mary Meyer is the only German sister living within the limits of the Jaffna Diocese. With the help of the Lady Superior of the Convent, who is a French lady, I undertake to be responsible for the said Sister Mary Meyer during the continuance of the war.
His Excellency
Sir Robert Chalmers, K.C.B.,
Governor of Ceylon,
Colombo.
I have, &c.,
H. JOULAIN, O.M.I.,
Bishop of Jaffna.
Enclosure 1 in No. 43.
Archbishop's House, Colombo, 6th November, 1914. [See enclosure 5 in No. 39.]
• No. 88.
+ Not reprinted.
EXCELLENCY,
Bishop's House, Batticaloa,
Both November, 1914.
I RECRIVED, through His Grace the Archbishop of Colombo, notification of Your Excellency's letter oomoerning the German or Austrian sisters of the Diocesa of Trincomalee.
We have only one sister living in the Trincomalee Convent, Mother Felix, alias Albertine Wurtz, who, though born of French parents and from ber child- hood educated and trained in France, was born in Alsace Lorraine, after the annexion of these provinces to Germany.
I can assure Your Excellency that I shall stand responsible for all the words and deeds of the said sister against the British Government or in favour of the German nation.
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