19
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
CO885
41372.
18
No. 28.
FOREIGN OFFICE TO COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received December 7, 1904.)
SIR,
Foreign Office, December 6, 1904. I AM directed by the Marquess of Lansdowne to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 2nd instant,* stating that the Officer Administering the Government of the Cape of Good Hope has requested a definite ruling as to the action to be taken by him. in the event of the Russian squadron (1) seeking permission to enter Table Bay or any other port in the Colony, (2) desiring to send leave parties on shore, and (3) applying for supplies of fresh water.
am to inform you, in reply, that, in his Lordship's opinion, the answers to the questions raised by the Officer Administering the Government of the Cape should be as follows:-
(1.) Vessels of the Russian Fleet are not debarred from entering Table Bay or any other British port, provided that they receive no coal or supplies, and that they depart within twenty-four hours, as prescribed by Rule 2.
(2.) Lord Lansdowne sees no reason to prohibit the landing of leave parties. (3.) In the letter from this Department of the 30th ultimo t it was stated that provisions should not be supplied to the squadron, and his Lordship thinks that a similar course should be followed with regard to the supply of fresh water. It should
be borne in mind that the ships are probably furnished with condensers, which would yield by distillation a sufficient quantity of drinking water for the actual necessities of the crews.
?
41372.
No. 29.
CAPE.
I am, &c.
F. A. CAMPBELL.
MR. LYTTELTON TO THE ACTING GOVERNOR. (Sent 5:50 P.M., December 7, 1904.)
(Paraphrase.)
TELEGRAM.
In reply to latter portion of your telegram of 26th November, vessels of Russian fleet not prohibited from entering any British port, provided they depart within twenty- four hours and receive no coal or supplies. No reason for prohibiting landing of leave parties, under regulations of Confidential Circular of 14th August, 1899, is seen by Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, but, like provisions, fresh water should not be supplied.
41327.
No. 30.
MR. LYTTELTON TO THE GOVERNORS AND HIGH COMMISSIONER OF MAURITIUS, STRAITS SETTLEMENTS, CEYLON, SEYCHELLES, HONG KONG, LABUAN, WEI-HAI WEI, AND FEDERATED MALAY States.
(Sent 6.5 P.M., December 7, 1904.)
TELEGRAM.
(December 7. Matter most urgent.)
RUSSIAN Ambassador states that Admiral in command of Baltic fleet telegraphs that fishing boats constantly cross line of squadron at night without lights, rendering his position extremely difficult, which might lead to deplorable results. In view of possibility of Russian men-of-war entering waters of Colony, you should, as far as possible, take steps to insure British fishing boats carrying lights, in order to avoid danger of regrettable misunderstanding.
• No. 25 A.
↑ No. 24 B.
‡ No. 24.
41541
S.
(Confidential.)
No. 30 A.
FOREIGN OFFICE TO COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received December 8, 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 to transmit, for the information of Mr. Secretary Lyttelton, the accompanying copy of a telegram relating to the Baltic fleet.
Foreign Office, December 7, 1904.
Enclosure in No. 30 A.
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, Australia, to ADMIRALTY.
(Sydney, December 7, 1904.)
TELEGRAM.
FRENCH cavalry officer attached to Russian army, on leave here from Harbin, informed, confidentially, friends, who reported to me, confidentially and unknown to French officer, that Russia had obtained consent of German Government use Marshall Islands as base for Baltic Squadron, and is collecting colliers there. Recent action of German Government placing practically prohibitive duties on foreign ships trading with Marshall Islands lends credence to statement of French officer. Also stated Russian ships were present in Torres Strait in October.
Have informed Governor-General of Australia, confidentially, of report, and requested careful watch should be kept on colliers clearing from Australian ports.
1046 S.
No. 31.
MR. LYTTELTON TO THE GOVERNORS AND HIGH COMMISSIONERS OF ALL COLONIES AND PROTECTORATES ON THE LINE OF ROUTE OF THE BALTIC FLEET.* (Sent 3 P.M., December 8, 1904.)
TELEGRAM.
(Paraphrase.)
[Omit to Malta and Gibraltar : With reference to my telegram of the 26th Novembert], ships of Baltic fleet not prohibited from entering British port provided they depart within twenty-four hours. They are not entitled to receive supplies of fresh water. There is no reason to prohibit landing of leave parties under Regulations of Confidential Circular of 14th August, 1899.
41728.
SIR,
No. 32.
FOREIGN OFFICE TO COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received December 10, 1904.)
Foreign Office, December 8, 1904.
I AM directed by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to transmit to you, to be laid before Mr. Secretary Lyttelton, a copy of a telegram which has been com- municated to this Department by the Admiralty from the Commander-in-chief, Cape of Good Hope, relating to German colliers which are awaiting the arrival of the Russian fleet at Angra Pequena.
I am, &c.
F. A. CAMPBELL.
• I.e., St. Helens, Natal, Mauritius, Seychelles. Ceylon, Straits Settlements, Hong Kong, Weihaiwei, Labuan, Federated Malay States, Sierra Leone, Gold Coast, Gambia, Lagos, Southern Nigeria, Gibraltar, Malta, but not the Cape.
No. 24 A.
[1185]
D 2
b
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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