CO885-9 — Page 161

15019.

91

No. 158.

No. 156.

MAURITIUS.

MR. LYTTELTON TO GOVERNOR SIR C. BOYLE.

(Sent 1.25 P.M., May 2, 1905.)

TELEGRAM.

[Answered by No. 157.]

REFERRING to my telegram of the 22nd April,* "Juliette," information required by telegram as to events which have occurred.

15004.

SIB,

FOREIGN OFFICE TO COLONIAL OFFICE.

(Received May 5, 1905.)

[Answered by L. F. transmitting copy of No. 162.]

Foreign Office,

May 4, 1905. WITH reference to your letter of the 25th ultimo, enclosing a telegram from the Governor of Hong Kong, respecting the steam-ships Florida and Tolosan," the substance of which was communicated to the German Chargé d'Affaires, I am directed by the Marquess of Lansdowne to acquaint you, for the information of Mr. Secretary Lyttelton, that Count Bernstorff now states that Herr Jebsen is prepared to discharge at Saigon cargoes of coal from the vessels in question, under the super- vision of the British Consul. Herr Jebsen requests that a special permit may be granted by the Governor of Hong Kong for the export of the coal.

I am accordingly to suggest that Sir M. Nathan might be communicated with by telegraph, and to request that Lord Lansdowne may be informed of the decision arrived at in the matter.

I am, &c.

F. A. CAMPBELL.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :--

C.O. 885

9 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

No. 157.

MAURITIUS.

GOVERNOR SIR C. BOYLE TO MR. LYTTELTON.

(Received 1.10 P.M., May 4, 1905.)

TELEGRAM.

In accordance with your instructions as to events which have occurred in connection with merchant steamer mentioned in your telegram of 2nd May,† facts are as follows:-I received your telegram of 22nd April on Easter Day. On the previous evening captain of ship and his local agents had made protest through German Consul because she has not been supplied with whole amount of coal applied for, holding my Government responsible for detention of vessel and for all loss sustained. On 24th April, a public holiday, German Consul was seen by Colonial Secretary, who handed to him letter asking for a declaration from captain of ship and agents endorsed by German Consul stating that vessel was not receiving orders of, or from, any person in the service of either belligerent Powers, and was not attending on either fleet, &c., as in your confidential circular despatch of 20th February.‡ Neither German Consul nor Agent would endorse or give such declaration, but captain of ship on 25th April gave one which I deemed to sufficiently justify granting permission to complete with coal as required. This was communicated to all concerned 26th April and the vessel received 600 tons of coal in all, filling bunkers and clearing out for Saigon 28th April. Notice has been given by captain of ship through German Consul claiming demurrage for detention of vessel. Statement of British seamen on board and original declaration of captain of ship as to destination of vessel have already been reported to you, and captain of ship also in his entry of vessel made further false statement that there were not any British seamen on board, which we discovered later, all of which led to my withdrawal of pérmission to complete with coal pending reply from you. British seamen refused to continue voyage, and will be sent home by first opportunity. I am sending full particulars by mail of 6th May.

• No. 149.

↑ No. 156.

No. 105.

15289.

SIR,

No. 159.

HONG KONG.

GOVERNOR SIR M. NATHAN TO MR. LYTTELTON. (Received May 6, 1905.)

[Copy to Foreign Office, May 15, 1905, Secret, L. F.]

(Secret.)

Government House,

April 4, 1905. REFERRING to your Secret despatch of the 3rd December last, and to your subsequent despatches on the subject of colliers taking in coal at a British port, for the use of ships of a belligerent fleet, I have the honour to inform you that on the 2nd instant, the Assistant Harbour-master reported to me that he had stopped the loading of the German steam-ship "Poschan," which had arrived at this port at 6:30 A.M. on the 24th ultimo, and was taking in Welsh coal for Sourabaya, in Java. The German firm of Messrs. Jebsen and Co., who are the agents for the vessel, had stated, in reply to inquiries, that they had bought the coal locally under instructions from their firm in Shanghae, and that the steamer was to be consigned to Messrs. Erbmann Sielcken, of Batavia,

2. Though the unusual circumstance of a vessel taking in some 3,000 tons of Welsh coal here for a port in the Netherlands East Indies made it probable that this coal was intended for the use of vessels belonging to one of the belligerent fleets, there was no evidence that the "Poschan was attending on such a fleet, or receiving instructions from persons

in the naval service of either belligerent.

3. I accordingly directed the Assistant Harbour-master to allow the loading to continue. At the same time I caused the circumstances as above set forth to be communicated to both the Russian and Japanese Consuls here, and the attention of Messrs. Jebsen and Co. to be drawn to the consequences of any infringement of the provisions of "The Foreign Enlistment Act, 1870," as set forth in the Proclamation of neutrality given in this Colony on the 12th February, 1904. Messrs. Jebsen and Co. were also informed of the communications sent to the Russian and Japanese Consuls.

4. Though I am doubtful whether any action will lie against the firm in question should the coal on the "Poschan" eventually find its way to belligerent vessels the, making known to the agents that their action was watched with suspicion by this

↑ No. 26.

• No. 152.

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