Letter from Maurice de Bunsen to Sir Matthew Nathan, 26 April 1916

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Letter from Maurice de Bunsen to Sir Matthew Nathan, 26 April 1916

1 The Under- Secretary of State Foreign Office London.
Foreign Office April 26th, 1916. ack. day instructions
have been issued to
the Police.
II W.
III Chief Com
Will you
please have the
necessary
instructions
EOF
8/5/16
I done JhD11/5
I despd
Jois 11/5 Sir:- I am directed by Secretary Sir Edward Grey to
state, for the information of Mr Secretary Birrell,
that he is in communication with the Swiss Government
regarding the arrest of British Subjects in
Switzerland. Various cases have recently occurred
in which the arrested persons were not permitted for
a long period after their apprehension to communicate
with His Majesty's Minister or Consular Represent-
atives in that country. It is a generally admitted principle of inter-
national courtesy that foreign subjects or citizens
arrested or detained by the policy in any country
should at once be permitted to communicate in writing
with the Representative of their country. This
practice is invariably followed in this country and I
am to enclose herein a copy of the instructions,
issued by the Home Office to the Police in England,
which govern the matter. Sir E Grey is, however, unaware whether the
regulations issued by the Home Office are also
applicable to Ireland. In order that he may be
enabled to insist on the Swiss Government granting
permission to British Subjects arrested in Switzerland
to
1. Instruct 1.4. & Homme in
at Belfast by calling attention to 42c 1351
2. Ch. former D.M.P.
transmitter
Connell
12.5.16 The Under Secretary
Irish Office
I Done 15/5 2 to communicate with His Majesty's Representatives,
I am to suggest, for Mr Birrell's consideration
the advisability of issuing to the Irish Police
instructions with regard to foreigners arrested
within Ireland similar to those issued to the
English Police if such instructions are not
already in force. A copy of this letter has been sent to the
Home Office and a similar letter addressed to the
Scottish Office. I am,
Sir,
Your most obedient,
humble Servant, Maurice de Bunsen Office
copy of attached instructions (65343)
to be sent to all divisions &attention
drawn to 'Foreigner' p. 190 .code
mdp
CC10/5/16
Done 18/5/16

Letter from Maurice de Bunsen (1852–1932) to Sir Matthew Nathan (1862-1939). de Bunsen writes that he is directed by Sir Edward Grey (1862–1933), foreign secretary, to state that Grey is in communication with the Swiss government regarding the arrest of British subjects in Switzerland. The letter concerns the ability of British subjects who have been arrested in Switzerland to contact the representative of their country. De Bunsen notes that this courtesy exists in England and Grey wants to ensure that it also exists in Ireland so that he can insist that British subjects arrested in Switzerland will be able to communicate with British representatives.Nathan was the under-secretary for Ireland from 1914 to 1916. In 1916 Nathan offered his resignation following the outbreak of the Easter Rising. De Bunsen was a diplomat serving as assistant under-secretary in the Foreign Office from March 1915 to March 1918.

Maurice de Bunsen
Matthew Nathan
1916-04-26
World War I (1914-1918) Industry and Public Administration

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How to cite

Letters 1916, published by the Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities, Vienna, 2026 (https://letters1916static.github.io/letters1916-static/item__0247.html)