CO885-9 — Page 174

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

CO 885

9PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

116

In response to my inquiry, the Director of Telegraphs said it was open to me to see the Lieutenant-Governor of Cochin-China to endeavour to obtain his personal consent to allow the meRanges to go through. He also admitted that every press message before being transmitted to Cape St. James had been wired to the Governor-General at Hanoi, Tonkin, for his inspection and permission for it to proceed.

I thereupon telegraphed to M. Beau protesting against the censorship, which would only delay and not prevent the publication of facts which had come under my personal observation. No I found that the messages of French corre- reply was received, nor did I anticipate any. spondents who were cabling to Paris were subjected to the same treatment, which they strongly resented, and they were forwarding their messages by post to agents in Singapore to be despatched from there by cable,

After the publication, almost daily, of Paris telegrams in Indo-China, referring to the strictly neutral attitude which the French authorities were said to have adopted, and to be maintaining, towards the Russian ships in French waters, it is not difficult to understand the action of the local authorities in endeavouring to conceal facts within reach of correspondents and the Consular Corps. Unfortunately, the facts did not bear out either French promises or state-

ments.

Although the authorities, with their questionable methods, refused to transmit for publication that on the 29th ultimo four Russian transports were still loading contraband at Saigon, with their full knowledge and consent, yet on the 3rd instant the four transports were still there, loading coal for the Russian stores, these being the " Vieff," "Jupiter," "Kuias Gortschakof," and "Kitay."

In addition, anchored inside Cape St. James, were four heavily-laden German transports, two of which were the "Bylgia" and "Seriphos"-the names of the other two I could not decypher.

The empty Outside Cape St. James, at the anchorage, were the following German transports (laden):

"Westphalia." "Tsimo.' "Gaarden," aad

"Milos,' "Tertia," "Mecklebourg," " Batavia,"

," " Artemia," Bethauia," being fine four-masted

transports there were the " Badenia,' steamers of 7,500 toną.

The steam-ship “ Dagmar" had just left with a cargo of flour for the Balticane, and the "Eridan" was loading provisions at Saigon for the same recipients. The steam-ship" Derwent," owned by British Chinese, which, it is said, will shortly be again transferred to the French flag, was also loading stores, and considerable suspicion was attached to her. Other transports from Europe are expected daily at Cape St. James

22058.

No. 186.

STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.

GOVERNOR SIR J. ANDERSON TO MR. LYTTELTON. (Received 8.50 A.M., June 26, 1905.)

(Paraphrase.)

TELEGRAM.

[Copy to Foreign Office, June 26, 1905, L. F.]

THE "Perlak," Dutch steamer from Tamsin, has landed here master, officers and crew of the British steamer "Ikhona," sunk 5th June by the Imperial Russian cruiser "Terek," north latitude 30° 22′, east longitude 134° I'. Particulars will be telegraphed as soon as possible.

22113.

117

No. 188.

STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.

GOVERNOR SIR J. ANDERSON TO MR. LYTTELTON. (Received 2:46 P.M., June 26, 1905.)

TELEGRAM.

[Copy to Foreign Office, June 26, 1905, L. F]

*

REFERRING to my telegram of to-day,* Stone, master of ship "Ikhona," British India Steamship Company's steamer, Rangoon for Yokohama, states he left Singapore 1st June by direct route to Japan, Ballintang Channel; sighted cruiser "Terek" in the morning of 5th June, which boarded and examined papers; then informed him that having cargo of rice and wheat vessel would be destroyed; crew transferred "Terek " attempt was made to sink "Ikhona" by dynamite; failing this, cruiser fired at her till she sank. "Terek

cruised north-easterly direction and south-westerly direction 5th June to 19th June between 16° and 28° north latitude, falling in with oil steamer "Perlak

to which transferred. It is believed "Terek" proceeded in direction of Manila. Suggest Naval Commander-in-chief should be directed notify her refrain from interference with British ships.

22130.

SIR,

"

"

No. 189.

FOREIGN OFFICE TO COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received June 27, 1905.)

Foreign Office,

June 26, 1905.

I AM directed by the Marquess of Lansdowne to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 10th instant† (19351/1905), forwarding correspondence and documents relative to the treatment of the Giernian steam-ship "Juliette," at Mauritius; and I am to state that his Lordship concurs in Mr. Secretary Lyttelton's proposal to approve Sir C. Boyle's action in the matter.

I am at the same time to point out that Professor "Honana," referred to in Mr. Newton's letter to Sir C. Boyle of the 21st April, 1905 (Enclosure 9 in his Excellency's despatch), are neither is presumably Professor Holland, whose remarks therein alluded to applicable nor apparently were intended by him to apply to circumstances such as those which arose in the case of the "Juliette."

22457.

I am, &c.

F. A. CAMPBELL.

No. 190.

22102.

No. 187.

HONG KONG.

GOVERNOR SIR M. NATHAN TO MR. LYTTELTON.

(Received 12-16 г.M.,

June 26, 1905.)

TELEGRAM.

[Copy to Foreign Office, June 27, and Board of Trade, June 28, 1905, L. F.] [Answered by No. 202.]

REFERRING to my telegram of the 17th June," Agent of "St. Kilda" gives notice that he will present claim on behalf of local interests.

HONG KONG.

GOVERNOR SIR M. NATHAN To MR. LYTTELTON. (Received 9:25 A.M., June 29, 1905.)

TELEGRAM.

[Copy to Foreign Office, June 29, 1905, L. F.]

14

REFERRING to my Secret despatch of the 2nd June,‡ paragraph 10, Syfang' is included in list of colliers that were in attendance on belligerent fleet on coast of Indo-China last May, furnished by British Consul at Saigon.

• No. 186.

† No. 178.

‡ No. 194.

• No. 184.