Chargé Eddy to the Secretary of State.
St. Petersburg, September 25, 1905.
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that yesterday I sent to you a telegram,a a confirmation of which will be, as usual, sent by the next courier pouch.
Referring to the Department’s cablegram dated September 22, I have now the honor to inform you that, after having learned that Count Lamsdorff would receive me on Wednesday next, I caused inquiry to be made at the general staff, thinking that in this way I might be able to obtain information on this subject which would be of value. I learned that it was not thought possible to arrange for the exchange of prisoners of war before the 7th of October. This information may be relied upon, as my communications to Count Lamsdorff regarding this matter have all to be sent by him to the general staff before he is enabled to reply to me. I shall doubtless receive in the course of the next day or two a reply from the ministry for foreign affairs, giving me the information which I cabled you yesterday.
Referring to the body of my telegram, in which I mentioned the proposed remittance of punishment for insubordination which was [Page 798] awarded to two Japanese prisoners now at Selo Medvied, provided the same remittance of punishment be accorded to Count Bobrinsky, who was condemned on a like charge in Japan, I beg to state that this proposal emanated from the general staff, who seemed to think that there would be no difficulty in arranging the matter satisfactorily so far as the Russian authorities were concerned. I may add that, through the efforts of this embassy, the punishment of the Japanese prisoners mentioned above has been greatly reduced.
I have, etc.,
- Not printed.↩