CO882-(6-8) — Page 384

29960

9

SIR,

No. 16.

COLONIAL OFFICE to TREASURY.

[Answered by No. 26.]

Downing Street, August 25, 1904. I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Lyttelton to request you to inform the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury that the Marquess of Lansdowne has decided that the officers and men of the Russian destroyer "Burni," which was wrecked near Weihaiwei, should be interned in British territory until the conclusion of the Russo-Japanese war.

2. The interned men are at present on board the Admiralty receiving ship "Tamar" at Hong Kong, but the Admiralty have intimated that this arrangement can only be regarded as temporary, and Mr. Lyttelton considers that it would be best, if the "Tamar " cannot be spared for the purpose, to intern them on land at

Hong Kong.

3. Mr. Lyttelton has been in communication with the Foreign Office as to the manner in which the Russian officers and men should be treated, and as to the incidence of the cost of their internment. A copy of a letter from the Foreign Office, dated 23rd August,* and of the reply,† are enclosed, and I am to request that the Lords Commissioners may be moved to state whether they concur in the draft telegram to Hong Kong and to give their sanction for the expenditure by the Hong Kong Government, on behalf of His Majesty's Government, of such sums as the Governor may consider reasonable. Such sums will, Mr. Lyttelton presumes, be recovered from the Russian Government by the Foreign Office.

80084

No. 17.

I am, &c.,

C. P. LUCAS.

WAR OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.

(Received August 26, 1904.)

SIR,

No. 18.

COLONIAL OFFICE to ADMIRALTY.

Downing Street, August 26, 1904. I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Lyttelton to acknowledge the receipt of your letters of the 22nd and of the 24th of August* with regard to the internment of the officers and men of the Russian destroyer " Burni," and to request you to inform the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that arrangements will be made as soon as possible for interning them on shore at Hong Kong.

Copies of correspondencet on the subject with the Foreign Office and Treasury are enclosed.

30196

No. 19.

I am, &c.,

C. P. LUCAS.

FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.

(Received August 27, 1904.)

[Copy to War Office, August 30, 1904. Confidential. L.F.] (Confidential.)

SIR,

Foreign Office, August 26, 1904. WITH reference to your letter, 29548, confidential, of the 23rd instant, respecting the disposal of the officers and crew of the Russian destroyer "Burni," I am directed by the Marquess of Lansdowne to state to you, for the information of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, that a request has been received from the Russian Government that the officers and men in question may be sent back to Russia.

A telegram, of which a copy is enclosed, has consequently been addressed to His Majesty's Minister at Tokyo, requesting further information as to the objection of the Japanese Government to their repatriation.

A suggestion has been made to the Admiralty that the Russian officers and seamen should be detained on board H.M.S. "Tamar" pending a decision as to their ultimate disposal.

I am, &c.,

F. A. CAMPBELL.

(Confidential.)

[Answered by No. 20.]

SIR,

War Office, London, S.W., August 26, 1904. WITH reference to the internment of the officers and crew of the Russian destroyer "Burni," Mr. Secretary Lyttelton, in his telegram of the 19th August, 1904, directed the Governor, Hong Kong, to arrange for the internment at Hong Kong The Army Council, in their letter of the 19th August,§ concurred in the internment at that station.

2. The (Naval) Commander-in-Chief in a telegram dated Weihaiwei, August 23rd, suggests the removal of the Russians to Colombo, or other place, further from the seat of war. I am commanded by the Army Council to enquire whether the original intention of internment at Hong Kong is to be adhered to, or, if not, at what place it is proposed that military arrangements should be made.

I am, &c.,

R. H. BRADE.

Enclosure in No. 19.

To Sir C. MACDONALD, Tokyo.

(Sent August 24, 1904, 1.20 p.m.)

No. 115. Confidential.

of crew of "Burni "].

TELEGRAM.

Your telegram No. 221 [of August 16. Internment

Arrangements have been made for interning officers and men at Hong Kong. Russian Government have now asked that they may be sent back to St. Petersburg.

If we refuse it will be necessary to give some reason for departing from: precedent in "Variag" case.

Nos. 12 and 14.

Nos. 13, 15 and 16.

• No. 13.

† No. 15.

‡ No. 8.

§ No. 7.

L.F. transmitting copy of No. 12,

Enclosure in No. 14.

20111

B

| | || | || | ||

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 882

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

!