It is difficult to depict the delight with which we received this news. Usually the telegrams arrived in the evening, when we sat in our little casino, our only conversation, the war. When the glorious news of victory reached us, our jubilation knew no bounds. But in spite of this we felt an immense sadness—for we were not with our home armies!
The 15th of August arrived, and with it a communication of such enormity that we doubted the truth of what we read.
It ran as follows:
Extra Edition
“We consider it most important and necessary, with the object of maintaining a secure and lasting peace in the Far East, in accordance with the Anglo-Japanese Alliance Treaty, to take at the present moment every necessary measure to eliminate all causes likely to endanger peace.
“First, to withdraw the German warships at once from Japanese and Chinese waters, also armed ships of any description, and to dismantle those which cannot be withdrawn.
“Secondly, to surrender the whole Protectorate of Kiao-Chow forthwith—not later than by the 13th of September—to the Imperial Japanese Authorities without conditions or claims of indemnity, with the prospect of eventually returning the same to China.
“The Imperial Japanese Government announces at the same time that should it receive any but an unconditional acceptance from the Imperial German Government up to the 23rd of August 1914, to all the above-mentioned conditions, it will consider itself obliged to take such measures as the situation necessitates.”
Our Governor had written below:
“It is a matter of course that we can never consent to surrender Kiao-Chow to Japan without drawing the sword. The frivolity of the Japanese demand admits but of one reply. But it implies that we must reckon on the opening of hostilities at the expiration of the date fixed. It will be a fight to the finish.