The Japanese Chargé to the Secretary of State.
Washington, December 11, 1905.
Sir: Referring to Mr. Takahira’s note No. 68, dated October 31, 1905, I have the honor to inform you that I am in receipt of a cablegram from His Majesty’s minister for foreign affairs, in which he instructs me to request the good offices of the United States Government, in instructing Ambassador Meyer to find out at the earliest convenience, from the Russian Government, whether or not the necessary instructions regarding the surrender of the Japanese prisoners held in the theater of war, referred to in the above-mentioned note, have already been issued to the Russian military authorities in Manchuria. It is evident from the report of your chargé d’affaires at St. Petersburg, cited in your note No. 230, dated November 1, 1905, that it was the proposition of the Russian Government, which was immediately agreed to by the Japanese Government, to instruct the commanders in chief of the Japanese and Russian armies to arrange for the exchange of prisoners of war held in the theater of war.
Accept, etc.,