Inouye,
    Berlin

No 237.
    German Minister to Japan privately and confidently informed me that disarmament the Governor of Tsingtau inf telegraphed me him that disarmament of Czarewitch and three Russian destroyers in Kiaochow had been completed in the morning of August 15th.
    Gokoshi
        Komura

Midzuno Chefoo 116
    ditto (omitting Gokoshi + adding "Transmit Uchida")
Hayashi Seoul 337
    ditto (omitting Gokoshi)

Sent Aug 15th 1904 11 p.m.

Dated, Chefoo, Aug. 16 1904. 5 a.m.
Received, 8-57 a.m.

Komura,
    Tokyo.

No. 344. It is reported from Tsingtao that junk arrived there from [] coast and stated that a big Russian ship was there August 14th. This is probably Novik.
    Telegraphed to Minister Uchida and Consul General Odagiri.

        Midzuno.

Dated, Berlin, Aug. 15 1904. 5-55 p.m.
Received, Aug. 16, 3-55 p.m.

Komura,
    Tokyo.

No. 334. I saw Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs August 15th and carried out your telegraphic instructions 233. He said that he was glad to hear that Japanese Govt. were now satisfied with the settlement of the affair and hoped that such incident might not occur again. He had received telegraphic information that the Russian ships at Kiaochow had already began to disarm and in this connection, he said that he would like to be informed of the actual proceedings which took place in regard to officers and men of the Varyag after the latter was sunk, for German Govt. had not yet decided as to what course they would take. In regard to those officers and men of the Russian ships now about to be disarmed at Kiaochow, he thought that the officers would probably be allowed to return on their giving word of honour not to take up arms again, but the question of the men was undecided.  I hope you will therefore telegraph me facts regarding the above. Acting Minister told me that he had received telegram from Peking to the effect that British Minister to China is stated to have said in the course of conversation that British Govt. had decided to close port of Wei-hai-wei to the ships of the belligerent Powers, and as he asked me if I knew anything, I hope you will also telegraph me information if any. In reply to my inquiry, Acting Minister said that, although there was some intention of issuing regulations concerning belligerent  ships,  yet the idea has been given up, as it has never been customary in practice of German Govt.

    Inouye.

Sent, Aug. 16 1904. 6 p.m.

Inouye,
    Berlin.

№ 240.
    In reference to my telegram № 238. you will ask the German Minister for Foreign Affairs to cause the Governor of Kiaochow to investigate the matter and inform us of its result.

        Komura.

Отредактированно vs18 (14.08.2009 15:43:26)

    Inouye
        Berlin.

242. When it became known that some of Russian ships took refuge in the port of Tsingtao in consequence of the naval engagement of the 10th Inst. Admiral Togo immediately detached a squadron of cruisers and torpedo destroyers to cruise along the coast of Shantung in view of the possible exit of the Russian ships from the German port. On the 16th Inst. a torpedo destroyer belonging to the squadron entered the port of Tsingtao when it learned for the first time of the disarmament of the Russian ships at the hands of the Tsingtao authorities which the [precluded the] possibility of the Russian ships going out of the port no longer existing [and thereupon] the whole squadron withdrew from the Shantung coast.
As it is feared that the movement of the squadron might be interpreted as a demonstration against the German authorities, you will see acting Minister for F.A. at an early opportunity and explain the matter in the above sense, and express the hope of the Japanese Govt that the German Govt will not construe it in the light of demonstration as such has never been the intention of the of the Japanese Govt.
The movement of the squadron being merely a precautionary measure taken by the Admiral against the Russian ships which might have gone out of the port.

     Komura.

Sent, Aug. 17th 1904 9.45 p.m.

Dated, Berlin, Aug. 18 1904 11-30 p.m.
Received, Aug. 19 5-15 p.m.

    Komura,
        Tokyo.
No. 340. In reference to your telegram 242, I saw Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs August 18th who, in thanking me for the communication, said that German Govt. had not  entertained any such feeling as apprehended by Japanese Govt. Press had also not written anything disagreeable against movement of Japanese  squadron off the Shangtung coast. Even if there should have been any unpleasant interpretation of the incident, explanation offered by me would be fully sufficient  to  smooth matters. German Govt. had only received a short telegram from Governor of Kiaochow, reporting entry of the Japanese torpedo destroyer and what  took place, and that every thing had passed off in a correct manner.

    Inouye.

Dated, Berlin, Augt. 23 1904. 6.30 p.m.
Received, Aug. 24 3.0 p.m.

    Komura,
        Tokio.
No. 347. In the course of conversation Augt. 23rd Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs told me that in regard to Russian now interned at Kiauchou, it was desire of German Government to know whether the Japanese Government had any objection to an exchange of prisoners taking place, as they had heard that Russian had also a number of Japanese prisoners; should this not be agreeable, whether the Japanese Government would consent to Russian officers and men being transported and kept in some place in Germany as also provided for in the Hague Convention. Asking [Reason] of German Government asking above was owing to difficulty in keeping Russians interned at Kiauchou, Germany's present force stationed there being only about the same number of men as the Russian prisoners. German Minister in Tokio had already been instructed to ascertain views of Japanese Government as to the above points. Acting Minister further said that according to report from German Consul at Shanghai, it appealed that the foreign consuls had decided to leave the matter of Russian ships there to be dealt with by the Chinese Government, and expressed some doubts as to the advisability of such a step, for the limit of time allowed to disabled ships for repairs was still an open question in international law.

        Inouye.

Dated, Berlin, Aug. 26 1904. 7-40 p.m.
Received, Aug. 27 2-40 p.m.

    Komura,
        Tokyo.

No. 350. In reference  to your telegram 254, I saw Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs August 26th and informed him of our views. He said that he would communicate with the authorities and hoped that the matter would be arranged satisfactorily. I then referred to what German Minister to Japan had communicated to you as mentioned in your telegram 253. Acting Minister thought that those instructions to German Minister in Tokyo were probably sent off before the reciept of my former communication on the matter.  (My telegram 338) I handed him at the same time a memorandum on the subject of Russian ships at Shanghai, in accordance with your telegram 410 to Viscount Hayashi. Acting Minister said he would study the  case, and remarked that he thought the question was however already settled, for he had heard that the Emperor of Russia had given orders for their immediate disarmament. I then mentioned that, although they are expected to be disarmed, yet it appeared, that Russian Govt. at the same time had given orders to them to continue their repairs,  which in my opinion,  constituted another violation of China's neutrality on the part of Russia. He said that this fact was not yet known to German Govt. and further added that in connection with the affair German Consul at Shanghai had  been instructed not to take any active part but to keep aloof as far as possible in the matter.

    Inouye.

Dated, Berlin, Sept. 5 1904. 11 p.m.
Received, " 6 " 2-35 p.m.

    Komura,
        Tokyo.

No. 364. In the course of conversation September 5th, Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs, in reply to my  inquiry, said that, as far as he  could inform me, German Govt. had decided to keep officers and men of the Russian men-of-war for the present at Kiaochow on board their ships, and that perhaps in the winter, they might be transported to some place in Germany.
He then asked me what had become of the Russian Cruiser Diana which was reported  to have entered Saigon about a fortnight ago and whether the ship on being disarmed, her crew will also be interned in Saigon, remarking at the same time that while much public attention had been drawn to  the Russian men-of war  in Tsintau, Diana seems to be allowed, to lie quietly  in Saigon. I replied I had no information on the matter, but that I could assure him that proper steps had undoubtedly been taken against the ship and crew, and that they would be similarly treated as those in Kiaochow.

        Inouye.

Попытка систематизировать англоязычные (и другие) документы с сайта Japan Center for Asian Historical Records(JACAR) National Archives of Japan, папка B07090719000, озаглавленная "Miscellaneous matters on Russian naval fleet escaped into ports of neutral countries during Japan-Russia War / Jiaozhou (Kiaochow) Bay".

Часть 1 (reference code B07090719300).
Часть 2 (reference code B07090719400).

Dated, Paris, Nov. 26 1904 5 p.m.
Received, " 27 " 8-40 a.m.

Komura,
    Tokyo.

No. 258. ( Old code. )
    It is reported from St. Petersburg to Echo de Paris that Admiral Matoussevitch who was wounded on board Czarowitz, having obtained leave of absence for convalescence, will shortly leave for St. Petersburg.

        Motono.

Dated, Berlin, Dec. 19th, 1904. 10 p.m.
Received, " 20th, " 1.10 p.m.

    Komura,
        Tokyo.
    492. In reference to your telegram 334, I at once inquired of the Minister for Foreign Affairs Dec. 15th about the matter who promised to telegraph to Chingtao and inform me of the result. As I had not received any reply since I inquired again Dec. 19th but I was told that an answer had not yet been received at the Foreign Office and that as soon as it arrives, they would immediately inform me of it.

        Inouye.

Dated, Berlin, Dec. 30th, 1904 2.35 p.m.
Received, " 31st, " 7.40 a.m.

    Komura,
        Tokyo.

501. In reference to my telegram 497, I have just received the following answer in the form of verbal note dated Dec. 29th:-
    "According to official investigation made, the Imperial Gouvernement in Chingtau has not given leave to any body of the Russian ship equipment interned there
to go to Shanghai. Beside the very exceptional cases in which hitherto Russian officers have been granted leave to go to Italy and to St. Petersburg respectively against their word of honour from constraining personal reasons especially of health, no further discharge of Russian officers from Chintau has taken place. Report which has reached Japanese Government that in the first half month of December many Russian officers have travelled in disguise from Chingtau to Shanghai is accordingly false."
    As reference is made in the above note about leave to Russian officers to return to St. Petersburg, I shall make further inquiry on the matter.

        Inouye.