File No. 860d.00/198
The Minister in Sweden (Morris) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 28, 11.10 a.m.]
2369. Finnish Chargé d’Affaires to-day handed to British Minister a note of which following is summary:
By order of his government, Finnish Chargé d’Affaires has the honor to communicate the following to Sir Esme Howard in accordance [Page 795] with an agreement between the Russian and Finnish authorities. Emperor Alexander II decreed on February 15, 1864, that the arms manufactory of Systerbäck with its grounds should be separated from Finland and be incorporated with Russia, in compensation for which Russia would cede to Finland a territory on the Arctic Sea to the east of Jakobselv. Although Systerbäck was separated from Finland, the said coast was not incorporated in Finland. However, this decree has lost none of its force and Finland has not renounced its right, having on several occasions asked for its fulfillment from Russia. Finland being now a free state, it is still more natural and urgent that this territory should be finally incorporated in it. The Finnish government has been delayed from taking the necessary steps by the recent revolt; but before the revolt was definitely crushed, some persons organized an expedition in the north of Finland to visit this territory. From information that has come to hand, the Finnish government has learned that this expedition was stopped by bands of Russians and rebel Finns. They would not, however, have prevented the expedition from reaching Arctic Sea if British sailors had not come to their assistance with machine guns. British troops having no right to act in this manner on territory undoubtedly belonging to Finland nor even to stay there, their conduct cannot in any way be justified. The Finnish government, therefore, finds itself obliged to protest categorically to the British Minister against the illegal actions of the troops mentioned and against damage caused to the rights of Finland, in begging him to bring this protest to the knowledge of his government, as well as the demand of the Finnish government that the British Government should immediately recall its troops from the said Finnish territory and likewise prevent the rebels from receiving any assistance from British Government.
The British Minister pointed out to Finnish Chargé d’Affaires: (1) That the decree of 1864 took two points into consideration, (a) the cession of part of the Murman coast, (b) a correction of the southern Finnish frontier; (2) that the occupation of Murmansk has been carried out in agreement with all the Allies and that French forces are also there; (3) that this note was extremely grave and equivalent to an ultimatum; (4) that the Allied Governments were animated with very friendly intentions toward Finland but that if Finland at the instigation of Germany commenced hostilities against Allies’ forces she could no longer count on our good will at the final settlement.
British and French Ministers proposed to telephone Finnish Chargé d’Affaires to-morrow that after consulting Italian Minister and myself we have all communicated his note to our governments and that we are alike agreed concerning the gravity of this step of the Finnish government.
My colleagues and I would suggest that if it is desired to avoid rupture with Finland, the Associated Governments in answering might declare that they would be disposed to promise Finland possession [Page 796] of the Gulf of Pechenga and of the territory ceded by the Bolshevik government on condition that the Allies continue in control of the whole coast of the Arctic Sea for the duration of the war. My private opinion is that this step has been taken by the Finnish government after deliberate consideration and at the instigation of Germany.