Sir Henry Howard to the Marquess of Lansdowne

Abstract

With reference to my despatch No.136 of the 8th ultimo, and to previous correspondence on the subject of the Tugeris, I have the honour to report that, in a recent conversation with Monsieur de Beaufort he informed me that in December last certain members of the crew of the Dutch Mail Steamer, the “General Pel”, had been enticed into the interior by some natives on the South Coast of Dutch New Guinea and had been presumably killed and eaten by the latter. This incident had led to several expeditions to that part of the coast and the last of the same had resulted in the capture of six natives of the supposed guilty tribe. His Excellency thought that the latter were probably the Tugeri and stated that the Netherland Authorities were investigating this subject, and he referred me to the Colonial Report for 1900 submitted to the States General for full details in, regard to this incident. I transmit, here with, a translation of the account in question, ² but I fail to see any mention therein of the guilty tribe being that of the Tugeri. Her Majesty’s Colonial Office will however be better able to decide this question than I am with my scanty knowledge of the subject.

Commonwealth Archives Office. CP 1 (Colony), series 5, vol.10, pp.4–5. The Marquess of Lansdowne was Foreign Secretary, 1900–5.