CO885-24 — Page 150

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

· Reference :-

LITICO. 885

24 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

282

WESTERN PACIFIC.

power of the native is curtailed and they do not fully understand that the produce usually so keenly sought after is for the time valueless; this may have the effect of making the natives disgorge some of the gold they have been hoarding up.

5. The restrictions I placed on recruiting have been found beneficial in pre- venting the spread of dysentery, as it has been established that the spread of the disease was to a great extent due to the recruiting vessels.

6. The officers on Tulagi and white men engaged close by have formed a rifle club and volunteer defence force. I have given encouragement to the rifle club and have sanctioned the use of a shooting range on Tulagi. A subscription list has been started to assist the Prince of Wales's War Fund; Mr. Bates, the Chief Magis- trate, has taken on the duty of Honorary Treasurer for the fund, and it is expected a fairly large sum will be sent forward.

I have, &c.,

His Excellency

The High Commissioner for the Western Pacific,

Suva, Fiji.

SIR,

F. J. BARNETT, Acting Resident Commissioner.

Enclosure 2 in No. 107.

(Solomons. Confidential (2).)

Office of the High Commissioner for the Western Pacific,

Suva, Fiji, 26th October, 1914.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Confidential letter, of the 22nd ultimo, reporting on the position of affairs in the Solomon Islands.

2. If you should consider it to be necessary or desirable at any time to take steps to check excessive prices being charged by merchants for food supplies, I shall be prepared to support your action.

I have, &c..

BICKHAM ESCOTT,

High Commissioner.

His British Majesty's Acting Resident Commissioner,

British Solomon Islands Protectorate.

47513

SIR,

No. 108.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE HIGH COMMISSIONER.

(Solomon Islands. Secret.)

Downing Street, 24th December, 1914.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Secret despatch of the 7th October, enclosing copies of correspondence with the Acting Resident Com- missioner, Solomon Islands, regarding the arrangements made in the Protectorate consequent on the outbreak of war.

2. I concur in your approval of the action of the Acting Resident Commis- sioner, to whom a copy of this despatch is being forwarded.

I have, &c.,

• No. 105.

L. HARCOURT.

51915

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WESTERN PACIFIC.

No. 109.

THE RESIDENT COMMISSIONER, NEW HEBRIDES, to THE HIGH COMMISSIONER.

(Received in Colonial Office 28th December, 1914.)

(New Hebrides. Confidential.)

SIR,

British Residency, Vila, 13th October, 1914. WITH reference to my despatches, marked Confidential, of the 11th ultimo and the 9th instant, on the subject of certain matters arising out of the present state of war, I have the honour to report as follows on another aspect of the situa- tion as it affects this Group.

Soon after the outbreak of hostilities a rumour reached us that a German squadron, consisting of two powerful vessels and a sloop, was at large in the South Pacific, and the idea caused considerable uneasiness, especially among the French community. While the rumour was current the French Resident Commissioner asked me what course I proposed to take in the event of the descent of the enemy's vessels on this port. I replied that I should stay in Vila with my people and make the best terms I could for them. I did not think that any enemy would come here with the intention of seizing and holding the island, or the Group their sole objects would probably be provisions and coal. With the means at our disposal it would be madness to think of defending the port; therefore, I should make no opposition to a hostile landing, and I trusted that he would act similarly. M. Míramen de agreed to my first two arguments, but declared that he could not stay in the town to see his flag dishonoured by an enemy. Therefore, on the appearance of a German man-of-war, he intended to secure the treasure for which he is responsible, and, with his family and the personnel of the French Residency and the available men of the French Constabulary, to march into the interior, which he would try and hold by force of arms if he were pursued. I endeavoured to dissuade him from such a course, but, I fear, without success; so I expressed a hope that, if the possible invasion happened and he carried out his intention of abandon- ing Vila, he would impress upon such of his compatriots as remained in the town the necessity of restraining themselves when the enemy appeared, as a single thought- less act of hostility on the part of one of their number might endanger the lives of the others-British as well as French. M. Miramende promised to give the neces- sary warning, but expressed his belief that his departure from Vila would be followed by that of the rest of the French community. The British community, I may observe, though aware of the danger, remained quite calm.

"

As time passed, and nothing more was heard of German raiders, our allies appeared to some extent to regain their normal tranquillity. At the beginning of the month, however, their balance was again disturbed by the intelligence received from Nouméa that German cruisers were supposed" to be somewhere north of New Caledonia, and when a wireless message announcing the bombardment of Tahiti was intercepted their condition might almost be described as one of panic. Rumours reached me of the purchase of arms and ammunition, drilling of the men, preparation of stores for removal, establishment of signal posts indeed, all the indications of an anticipated siege; and on inquiry I learnt that the whole of the French community was in readiness to leave the town and trek for the interior on the first sign of danger, real or imaginary. The fact that the French were arming and drilling caused me some uneasiness, and I accordingly addressed to my colleague the communication which forms the first enclosure hereto. M. Miramende replied by confirming the rumour of the organization of a “defence force," and on receipt of this I ventured on another remonstrance. My colleague excused his action in a further communication, of which a copy is enclosed, and there the correspondence ceased. Subsequently I saw M. Miramende, and we discussed the matter thoroughly. His statements left upon me the impression that he has more or less been forced by his people to take a course in regard to which he is not himself very enthusiastic, and he explained that he encouraged the "volunteer move- ment in order to keep the mind of the people occupied, and, as all males had been

"

No. 115 in Australian No. 228; and 47158: not printed.

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