[Inclosure.] Mr. Geldart to Mr. Adee. NEW YORK, August 7, 1900. SIR: In reply to your favor of the 4th instant, I beg to inform you that I shall certainly accept the offer made by the British Government and am forwarding instructions to my representatives at South Africa to that effect. Thanking the State Department for all its efforts on my behalf, Respectfully, R. W. GELDART. EXERCISE OF GOOD OFFICES OF U. S. CONSUL IN BEHALF OF BRITISH PRISONERS OF BOERS IN SOUTH AFRICA. Mr. Hay to Lord Pauncefote. No. 1612.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, November 11, 1899. EXCELLENCY: Referring to the correspondence had with Mr. Tower touching the desire of Her Majesty's Government for information concerning the health and welfare of British prisoners in the Transvaal, I have the honor to inform you that a telegram was received late last night from the consul at Pretoria stating that Majors Capel and Humphries are both in fine health. Mr. Macrum adds that he is notified by the state secretary that all requests for payment of money to officers and also other inquiries regarding them must in future come through regular military channels at front; that he will not further recognize Mr. Macrum in any British official capacity. I have, etc., JOHN HAY. Lord Pauncefote to Mr. Hay. WASHINGTON, November 22, 1899. SIR: Referring to your note No. 1612 of the 11th instant, and to previous correspondence with Mr. Tower on the subject of remitting money to British prisoners in the Transvaal, I have the honor, acting upon the instruction of my Government, to suggest, for the consideration of your Government, that the United States consul at Pretoria should point out to the Transvaal Government that they are departing from the usual practice in not allowing the friendly offices of the United States consul to be used on behalf of these prisoners. Lord Salisbury calls attention to the fact that during the Crimean war moneys for British prisoners in Russia and for Russian prisoners in England were distributed through the Danish representatives in St. Petersburg and London. Further, that during the Franco-Prussian war moneys were handed to the French prisoners in Germany through the British representative in Germany, and French prisoners were allowed to send their letters to France from Germany through the British foreign office. Lord Salisbury desires me to add that it is understood that reciprocal privileges would of course be granted to Boer prisoners in our hands. PAUNCEFOTE. I have the honor, etc., No. 1619.] Mr. Hay to Lord Pauncefote. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, November 28, 1899. EXCELLENCY: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 22d instant on the subject of remitting money to British prisoners in the Transvaal, in which, under instructions from your Government, you suggest that the United States consul at Pretoria should point out to the Transvaal Government that they are departing from the usual practice in not allowing the friendly offices of the United States consul to be used on behalf of these prisoners. I have instructed the consul at Pretoria to call the attention of the Government of the South African Republic to the statements and views of Lord Salisbury. I have, etc., No. 1753.] Mr. Hay to Lord Pauncefote. JOHN HAY. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, April 9, 1900. EXCELLENCY: You will recall that under date of November 22, 1899, you communicated to me the views and desires of your Government as to the pointing out to the Transvaal Government by the United States consul at Pretoria that they are departing from the usual practice in not allowing the friendly offices of the United States to be used on behalf of British prisoners. In accordance with my promise to you, copy of your note was forwarded to the United States consul at Pretoria, with instructions to make use if necessary of the precedents therein cited by Lord Salisbury to show that the charitable and humane intervention of the United States consul is usual and regular in time of war. I have since had occasion to communicate with the consul by telegraph in regard to the opportunity and manner of remittance for charitable aid to the sick and wounded, whether British or Boer, in the course of the present war. It is only within a day or two that I have received a definite reply from the consul. Mr. Hay now telegraphs me that he can use the money for prisoners and can draw upon me for charitable contributions on both sides. I have, etc., JOHN HAY. Mr. Hay to Lord Pauncefote. No. 1752.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, EXCELLENCY: Referring to my note of even date, by which I advise you of the gratifying information cabled by the consul at Pretoria that he can use money for British prisoners, I have the honor to communicate to you, for the information of your Government, copy of correspondence exchanged in January and February last between Mr. W. Stanley Hollis, who served as acting United States consul at Pretoria after the departure of the consul, Mr. Macrum, and Mr. F. W. Reitz, state secretary of the South African Republic, in regard to the manner and extent of the consul's action on behalf of British interests and in aid of the British prisoners. Mr. Hollis's report of this correspondence was in execution of an instruction sent to Mr. Macrum under date of November 24, 1899, with which was inclosed a copy of your note of November 22, and therefore represents the position taken by the South African Government prior to the arrival of Consul Hay at Pretoria. Whether Mr. Hay's telegram indicates the confirmation by the South African Government of the understanding so notified to Mr. Hollis, or covers any modification of the terms thereof, can not be clearly known until Mr. Hay's full reports shall have been received by mail. SIR: Replying to the instruction from Hon. John Hay, dated November 24 last and numbered 60, I have the honor to report as follows: I have had a number of conferences with the state secretary and with the secretary of foreign affairs in relation to my attitude toward British interests and toward British prisoners of war in this country. I have learned from many official and consular sources that the late British agent at this capital was always a thorn in the side of this Government, and that he is, in part, responsible for this present war. Such being the case, this Government has a strong aversion toward recognizing anyone who may claim to act as a British agent. The state secretary said to me: "We got rid of the British agent on the 11th of October last, and, God willing, we will never have another one here." On the other hand, this Government fully expects, when this present war is over, to receive a British minister and British consuls, but it will not receive any more British agents. When I thoroughly understood the situation and the views of this Government thereon, I wrote to the state secretary and gave him an expression of the views of his Government, as I understood them. Copies of my letter and of the state secretary's reply thereto are herewith inclosed. I also inclose copies of a telegram that I have received from the press censor at Durban, Natal, and of my reply thereto. In this connection I have the honor to refer to my dispatch No. 105, of January 5, 1900, which, together with this present dispatch and its inclosures, will, I trust, give you a clear idea of my relations with this Government. I have thus endeavored to come to a clear, friendly, and satisfactory understanding upon these matters with the Government of the South African Republic, and trust that my action in so doing will meet with your approval. I respectfully request that your acknowledgment of this dispatch be sent to me at Lourenço Marquez. I have, etc., W. STANLEY HOLLIS, [Subinclosure 1.] Mr. Hollis to Mr. Reitz. United States Consul. CONSULATE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Pretoria, January 31, 1900. DEAR SIR: I have the honor to refer to our conversation of this morning, in which I stated to you that my Government had instructed me to call your attention to its views and to the views of Lord Salisbury upon the subject of the attitude of the United States consul at this capital in relation to British interests and to the British prisoners of war. In this conversation I communicated to you the substance of the communication, with its inclosures, that I had received from my Government, and you in turn communicated to me your views in the matter. It thus seems that the present time is an excellent one in which we can come to a mutual understanding in this matter. As I understand it, the views of your Government in this matter are as follows: 1. The Government of the South African Republic objects to recognizing the United States (or any other) consular officer as the official representative of the British Government during the present war. 2. The Government of the South African Republic objects to the transmission by the United States consul of (a) Official communications from the British Government and addressed to the Government of the South African Republic. (b) Official communications from the British Government and addressed to British prisoners here. (e) Moneys or funds sent by the British Government to British prisoners here. On the other hand, I understand that the Government of the South African Republic will have no objection to the performance by the United States consul at this capital of the following services on behalf of the British prisoners of war and their friends: 1. The forwarding of letters and papers sent by friends or relatives of the prisoners. 2. The distribution of funds (under the supervision of the war office of the South African Republic) sent to the British prisoners by their friends or relatives. Provided that these services are reciprocal and that the Government of the South African Republic will have the right to request the similar services of the United States consular officers in the British Possessions and on behalf of the Boer and Afrikander prisoners of war that are now in the hands of the British authorities. I further understand that the Government of the South African Republic reserves to itself the right to revoke any or all of the privileges to receive letters, money, and parcels now enjoyed by the British prisoners of war in this Republic, and that the fact that Boer or Afrikander prisoners of war in the hands of the British authorities are not receiving kind and humane treatment, or are denied privileges similar to the privileges now allowed to British prisoners of war in the South African Republic, will, if proven to your satisfaction, be deemed sufficient cause and reason for such action on the part of your honorable Government. Assuring you of my high consideration and esteem, and venturing to hope for an early reply, I have, etc., W. STANLEY HOLLIS. [Subinclosure 2.-Translation.] Mr. Reitz to Mr. Hollis. DEPARTMENT VAN BUITENLANDSCHE ZAKEN, GOUVERNEMENTS KANTOOR, DEAR SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, No. 194, dated January 31, 1900, in which you state the substance of the conversation between us of that date, concerning the views held by this Government in relation to your taking charge of British interests and those of British prisoners of war in this Republic. I note with pleasure that the view adopted by this Government has been stated with perfect correctness in your letter under reply. That is the attitude in accordance with which this Government has acted and will continue to act. Assuring you of my high consideration, etc., [Subinclosure 3.] Press Censor to Mr. Hollis. [Telegram.] F. W. REITZ, State Secretary. PRETORIA, 124, February 1, 1900. Please say if prisoners are allowed to receive parcels tobacco; other things. Are they allowed newspapers? [Subinclosure 4.] Mr Hollis to Press Censor at Durban, Natal. [Telegram.] UNITED STATES CONSULATE, Pretoria, S. A. R., February 2, 1900. Yes; if sent by their friends, and through this consulate. W. STANLEY HOLLIS. No. 111.] Lord Pauncefote to Mr. Hay. BRITISH EMBASSY, Washington, April 18, 1900. SIR: With reference to your personal note of March 16, and your note, No. 1753, of April 6, I have the honor, by direction of Her Majesty's principal secretary of state for foreign affairs, to convey to your Government the thanks of Her Majesty's Government for the success which has attended the efforts of the United States consul on behalf of the British prisoners of war at Pretoria. As regards the treatment of Boer prisoners by British authorities, 1 am to inform you that telegrams, books, clothing, and luxuries are freely transmitted to them after inspection; that small amounts of money are given to them direct, while larger amounts are handed to the commandant to issue in small sums, and that clothing is issued at the public expense to prisoners who are in great need of it. I have, etc., PAUNCEFOTE. AWARD BY BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO MRS. GEORGE F. LABRAM IN RECOGNITION OF HER HUSBAND'S SERVICES DURING THE SIEGE OF KIMBERLEY. Mr. Hill to Mr. White. No. 445.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, September 11, 1900. SIR: I inclose for your information copy of a letter addressed to the Department by Mrs. George F. Labram, of Aurora, Ill., inclosing a communication from Lieutenant-Colonel Kekewich, commanding British troops in South Africa, showing services rendered by the late George F. Labram, and requesting information as to the manner in which his widow should present her claim to the British Government for the death of her husband. In view of Colonel Kekewich's statement to the effect that Mr. Labram completed many engineering works which materially assisted in prolonging the defense of Kimberley, it is thought possible that the British Government might, upon representation of the facts, feel inclined to make some provision for Mrs. Labram. You are accordingly instructed to informally present the papers in question to Her Majesty's Government for its consideration, and report the result to the Department. DAVID J. HILL. I am, etc., |