Mr. White to Mr.
Hay.
American Embassy,
London, October 28,
1901.
No. 692.]
Sir: With reference to my dispatch No. 687, of
the 19th instant, in relation to prisoners of war in Ceylon, I have the
honor to inclose herewith a copy of a memorandum, dated the 26th
instant, which I have just received from the foreign office, setting
forth the exceptional circumstances under which Messrs. Lavino and Wilke
were released, and stating that the authorities are only prepared to
entertain applications for the release of prisoners of war in those
cases in which such prisoners are certified to be dangerously ill.
It further appears that nothing is known of the Mr. Wynburg referred to
in your instruction above mentioned.
I have, etc.,
[Page 480]
[Inclosure.]
Memorandum.
Foreign Office, October 26, 1901.
On October 18 the United States chargé d’affaires communicated to the
Marques of Lansdowne a copy of a dispatch from the United States
consul at Colombo, forwarding a letter from four United States
citizens detained as prisoners of war in Ceylon, in which they state
that three of their fellow-prisoners, Messrs. C. Lavino, Wynburg,
and R. Wilke, have been released by His Majesty’s Government,
although in good health, and inquire whether they might not be
allowed a like privilege.
Mr. Lavino was released at the request of Lord Kitchener, who, no
doubt, had special reasons for recommending such an act of
clemency.
The circumstances attending the release of Mr. R. Wilke were very
exceptional. He was seriously ill, and his mother, who had a short
while ago lost her husband, Mr. Wilke’s father, was in a dying
state.
Of Mr. Wynburg nothing is known in this department.
The only cases in which His Majesty’s secretary of state for war is
prepared to consider applications for the release of prisoners of
war are those in which the prisoners are certified to be dangerously
or seriously ill.
