861.00/7694: Telegram
The High Commissioner at Constantinople ( Bristol ) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 16—10:18 a.m.]
580. Crimea is being rapidly evacuated by General Wrangel. The military forces as well as civilian refugees are being embarked on both merchant and war vessels. About 6000 wounded are to be evacuated and already a number of these have arrived in Constantinople. Our vessels are assisting to evacuate non combatants, some wounded and women and children. It is estimated that total number evacuated from Crimea will be about 40,000. There are accommodations in Constantinople and surrounding districts for about 5000, but the housing arrangements are bad and heating arrangements worse with fuel scarce and very expensive. The cold weather in this district makes it practically impossible to provide for the Russian refugees at this season of the year. Food and clothing is scarce here and most expensive. Thus providing for the refugees here would require vastly larger funds than in some other place where the climate is warm and the necessities of life more reasonable in price. The northern coast of Africa has been suggested for colonizing all these refugees. I recommend the northern coast of Africa or some warm climate and then combined effort in different countries to provide for these refugees until they can become self sustaining. This should be carried out with the understanding that the military forces thus evacuated are disarmed unless some country is willing to take these military forces and assume responsibility for them. Our ships are being used to aid in this evacuation for the sake of humanity but with strict orders not to become involved in direct antagonism with Bolsheviks. The St. Louis and six destroyers with one American merchant vessel are engaged in evacuation of American citizens, American Red Cross, together with Red Cross supplies and American merchandise and Russian refugees. Repeated to Paris.