The Japanese Minister to the Secretary of State.
Washington, October 20, 1905.
Sir: Referring to your note No. 219, dated the 2d instant, I have the honor to inform you that I am in receipt of a further telegram from my government to the effect that they appointed Col. Kikutaro Oi, military attaché to the Japanese legation in Germany, as special commissioner of the Imperial Government for receiving the Japanese prisoners of war to be delivered by the Russian Government, and further he is authorized to take charge of matters connected with the receiving of those Japanese other than the prisoners of war who are now detained in Russia.
As regards the place where the delivery of the prisoners shall take place, the Imperial Government believe that Wirballen was finally decided upon for the purpose, as it was proposed by the Russian Government through the French minister at Tokyo, and accepted by the Japanese Government accordingly.
The Imperial Government on their part will be prepared to direct their bureau of information relating to the prisoners of war, to deliver at Yokohama, Kobe, and Nagasaki the Russian prisoners of war and others detained in Japan to the special commissioner to be appointed by the Russian Government or his duly authorized representative; and as to those who are sick or wounded and will not be able to stand the transportation the bureau of information will be directed, after the completion of the general delivery of prisoners, to carry out the necessary procedures at the hospitals attached to the places for detaining prisoners, or at the military and naval hospitals where they are cared for, respecting their delivery to the Russian special commissioner or his duly authorized representative, with the understanding that the date of such delivery and other details connected therewith shall be arranged between the director of the bureau of information and Russian special commissioner, or his duly authorized represenattive.
I now have the honor, under instructions, to request of you the good offices of the United States Government to telegraph to the [Page 607] United States embassy at St. Petersburg, with necessary instructions to bring the above to the notice of the Russian Government and obtain an early answer thereto.
Accept, etc.,