Ambassador Meyer to the Acting Secretary of State .
St. Petersburg , August 6, 1906 .
Sir: The events of the last week were the results of the deep-laid plan that insurrections should take place simultaneously at Sveaborg, Kronstadt, Libau, Odessa, and Sebastopol. It started prematurely at Sveaborg on the occasion of a sailor’s funeral, it being [Page 1281] declared by his comrades that he died from overwork and bad treatment. The mutiny spread over the garrison like wildfire, their ranks being increased by men of the navy and not by the infantry companies.
Before 10 o’clock in the morning the southern part of the Sveaborg forts had been taken and the red flag hoisted. This served as a target for the loyal batteries and the fire of the loyal ships in the harbor of Helsingfors. A battalion of infantry was dispatched to Sveaborg, which, with the support of the batteries in Helsingfors, succeeded in quelling the revolt and causing the forts to surrender.
At Kronstadt it was planned to take the fort known as Constantine and at the same time capture the arsenal. The revolutionists began at a given signal about midnight. They took possession of Fort Constantine and, then the arsenal. This they discovered, to their amazement, was without ammunition, so by necessity they were obliged to return to their barracks, where later they were surrounded by loyal troops.
The fort was also recaptured, but not without the loss of several officers and the escape, in a tugboat, of the civil agitators.
The intended insurrection at the three other places, Libau, Odessa, and Sebastopol, did not materialize.
It is reported that the burgher’s estate of the Finnish diet voted that in the present state of affairs, caused by the conflict which had broken out among the Russian troops stationed at Helsingfors, it is the duty of every Finnish citizen to refrain from all unlawful acts and to assist the authorities in preserving order. The other estates of the diet adopted the same resolution.
I have, etc.,