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and the Governor of Hong Kong in regard to the internment of the officers and crew of the Russian torpedo boat destroyer "Burni," I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to request that you will inform Mr. Secretary Lyttelton that the use of H.M.S. "Tamar" for this purpose can only be regarded as a temporary arrangement, and that their Lordships are at present in communica- tion with the Commander-in-Chief, China, on this subject.

I am,

&c.,

C. I. THOMAS.

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3. I am therefore to request that arrangements may be made with as little delay as possible for the Russian officers and men in question to be interned on shore, at such place as Mr. Secretary Lyttelton may consider most convenient for the purpose.

4.

A copy of this letter has been sent to the Foreign Office and also to the War Office.

I am, &c.,

C. I. THOMAS.

29673

SIR,

No. 13.

FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.

(Received August 24, 1904.) [Answered by No. 15.]

Foreign Office, August 23, 1904. WITH reference to your letter, 29002/1904, of the 18th instant,* respecting the disposal of the officers and crew of the Russian destroyer "Burni," I am directed by the Marquess of Lansdowne to request that you will call the attention of the Secretary of State for the Colonies to the letter addressed to you on the 22nd of February last, when the question of the internment of the crews of the "Variag" and "Korietz" was under discussion.

I am to enclose a copy of the International Convention signed at the Hague on July 20th, 1899, and I am to suggest, for the consideration of Mr. Secretary Lyttelton, that Articles 57 and 58 of Section 4, embodying the principles established by International Law and Custom in war by land for the internment of belligerents may be taken to apply by analogy to the present case.

As regards the cost of subsistence, it is presumed that the expense must be borne by His Majesty's Government and recovered later from the Russian Govern- ment, and in this connection I am to say that Lord Lansdowne is of opinion that the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury should be consulted before further instructions are issued to the Governor of Hong Kong.

29960

SIR,

(Confidential.)

I am, &c.,

F. A. CAMPBELL.

No. 14.

ADMIRALTY to COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received August 25, 1904.) [Answered by No. 18.]

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Admiralty, August 24, 1904. WITH reference to Admiralty letter of the 22nd instant.§ relative to the internment of the officers and crew of the Russian torpedo boat destroyer "Burni❞ on board H.M.S." Tamar at Hong Kong, I am commanded by my Lords Commis- sioners of the Admiralty to forward, for the information of Mr. Secretary Lyttelton, a copy of a telegram (No. 133) on this subject, which has been received from the Commander-in-Chief on the China Station.

2. My Lords entirely concur. in the view expressed by Vice-Admiral Sir. Gerard Noel that it is impracticable for the internment on board the "Tamar

ม to be anything more than a temporary measure, as the "Tamar" cannot be diverted from her normal duties without serious inconvenience to the fleet, nor can the navy undertake the necessary supervision of those interned.

Enclosure in No. 14.

TELEGRAM from the COMMANder-in-Chief, China, to ADMIRALTY, dated Weihaiwei, August 23, 1904.

Your 217. Retention of Russians in "Tamar" impracticable except as a temporary measure. Suggest desirable remove Colombo or other place further from seat of war.

29673

No. 15.

COLONIAL OFFICE to FOREIGN OFFICE.

[Answered by Nos. 24 and 25.]

SIR,

Downing Street, August 25, 1904. I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Lyttelton to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 23rd instant* with regard to the conditions on which the officers and men of the Russian destroyer "Burni" should be interned.

2. In reply, I am to inform you that Mr. Lyttelton had not overlooked your letter of the 22nd of February last, but, as the only view which the Marquess of Lansdowne then expressed was that the Russian sailors should be kept under effective military control and prevented from leaving the Colony, and as the present case will doubtless form an important precedent in future wars, the Secretary of State considers it very important that the measures to be adopted in respect of the treatment of the officers and men now under the protection and control of His Majesty's Government should receive careful consideration, and be based upon the highest legal advice.

3. I am accordingly to request you to move the Marquess of Lansdowne to be so good as to inform Mr. Lyttelton whether he approves the terms of the enclosed draft of a telegramt to the Governor of Hong Kong, and if not what alterations or additions he would wish to be made. The telegram is based generally upon the procedure adopted by the Swiss Government in 1871, when the French army was interned.

4. I am also to ask that this Department may be furnished, for record here and for transmission to the Governor of Hong Kong, with two copies of the conven- tion concluded between the French General Clinchant and the Swiss Commander-in- Chief when the French troops crossed the Swiss frontier, and of the instructions issued by the Federal Council for the conduct of the authorities relative to the intern- ment of the French troops and officers. Copies of these documents were transmitted in your letter of 22nd February,f and returned, at your request, on the 27th of February.

5. I am also to enclose a copy of a letter which has been addressed to the Treasury with regard to expenses incurred by the Colonial Government in con- nection with the internment.

I am, &c.,

C. P. LUCAS.

• No. 6,

+6463; not printed.

‡ [Cd. 800], December, 1901.

§ No. 12.

• No. 13.

↑ 6463 not printed.

* See No. 28.

{ No. 16.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TTIC.O. 882

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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