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[Page 76]
(2)
that residents would carry out their ordinary avocations in a peaceful way with full confidence in British rule, and satisfied with the ample protection such British supremacy was prepared at all times to afford.
A full copy of the agreement entered into between the Governor and myself has already been forwarded through the Chief of the General Staff, and I will now proceed to deal with the clauses to which, according to your telegram, objection has been taken.
Clause 3 stipulates that the force still in the field when surrendering should do so with military honours.
The Military Commandant, who is a Regular Officer of the German Army, accompanied the Governor during our interview, and was very insistent that this privilege should be conceded. The enemy has put up a gallant fight and was prepared to surrender, and as the granting of military honours was after all a small concession and means very little, I agreed to the request.
It might also be of interest to mention that the Commandant, who is at present a prisoner on this ship, in conversation with the Brigade Major only yesterday, informed him that had this concession not been granted he would have advised the Governor not to surrender. He further mentioned that trenches had been prepared and mines laid at different points along the road to Toma. If, therefore, the fighting had been continued it would have resulted only in a useless sacrifice of human life. I am, therefore, more that ever satisfied that I acted rightly in the best interests of all.
I would also point out that the country here is a dense jungle, and an attacking force is entirely restricted to the road as it can make no progress whatever on either side. Any military man who has had experience in bush fighting will appreciate the difficulties, and readily realise what a formidable opposition could be offered by only a handful of men in such circumstances, and how long it was possible the hostilities might have been continued.
Moreover, I regard it as most fortunate that terms of surrender were concluded on the 17th instant, as on the 20th I received the following letter fron the Governor:-
Vunadider,
20th September 1914
Sir;
"During August current year I had given an order to the District Commissioner in Friedrich Wilhelmshafen to call in to the armed forces of the Colony in my name, a number of white men being members of the German Army Reserve. I have just received a message that the Lieutenant Army Reserve Lauer, has landed in Weberhafen from Kaiser Wilhelmsland, with a transport of men and has commenced marching this morning from Wimaplanting in the direction of Nanderlit to Nanlil (place A). I am sending to him to-morrow early the following order:-
"In the whole Protectorate no more armed resistance takes place against the military occupation by Great Britain. You are ordered to march with your men to Rabaul or Herbertshohe under the flag of truce and to report to the British Military Authorities."
-I have-