Office of the Historian

File No. 860d.00/287

The Consul at Helsingfors (Haynes) to the Secretary of State3

[Telegram]
Helsingfors, September 11, 1918, 5 p.m.
[Received September 13, 3 a.m.]

90. Finnish delegation which has been in Germany some time searching for a king has procured the assent of Frederick Carl of Hesse who married Kaiser Wilhelm’s sister, Margarita, to accept the throne. Diet called to meet September 26 for the election.

[Page 811]

Finnish government and the Krupp firm have formed two-million-mark company to investigate Finnish iron resources. This is another phase in Germany’s program to exploit Finland commercially.

Coat of arms of the British Consulate in Helsingfors has been painted in German colors during the night of September 8. Finnish officials have apologized, restored damaged shield, and are searching for the guilty parties. The press deeply deplores the insult. I believe animosity against the present British Consul who is greatly disliked personally was the real cause of the incident.

Haynes
  1. Sent via the Legation in Sweden (No. 2823).↩