CO129-455 - Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1919 [7-9] — Page 245

CES

COPY.

C.R.4677/59.

240

Enclosure 8.

Head Quarters, China Command,

HONG KONG, 24th May, 1919.

47, 10 Y900

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Sir,

With reference to your letter No. 3730/1919 dated 21st. May, 1919, re Doctor August Gaston, I have the honour to attach herewith a copy of correspondence between the Secretary to the Commodore and myself in March last on the subject of one Gastono who appears to be identical with "Gaston" and "August Bach".

2.

The following is the answer to the extracts from an affidavit made by Dr. Gaston forwarded with your letter

under reply:-

"Thirty-eight enemy prisoners of war were handed

over from H. M. S. "Laurentic" to the Military Authorities in February, 1916, just after the Prisoner of War Camp at Kowloon had been closed and dismantled. Consequently the only place where they could be placed for temporary safe custody, pending their transfer to Australia, was the Military Detention Barracks, which, as there were no sold- iers undergoing detention at the time, was unoccupied.

Each man was accommodated in a separate cell with the exception of the prisoners of war "Bach", who were accommodated together, at their own request.

The term "cell" is rather a misleading one, 98

each is really a small room measuring:-

Length 16 feet.

Breadth 8 feet.

Height

-

10 feet., being therefore much

larger than the cabin space on board a passenger vessel usually allotted to two or three "let. Class" passengers.

The "cells" are well ventilated and lighted, and open on to a Central Hall, which was equipped as a dining and games room for the prisoners of war. The Hon. Colonial Secretary,

HONGKONG.

Each