¹ Casement to Lansdowne, tel., 55 Sept. 1903, F.O. 10/805.Google Scholar

² Pickersgill to Salisbury, 25 Jan. 1897, F.O. 63/1336.Google Scholar

³ Parliamentary Debates, 4th series, 45, 1897, c. 781.Google Scholar

⁴ Salisbury's minute of [?]2 Nov. 1896, F.O. 10/716.Google Scholar

⁵ E. D. Morel's unpublished history of the Congo Reform Association, Morel papers, London School of Economics.Google Scholar

⁶ The title of his book published in 1903.Google Scholar

⁷ Bourne, Fox to Morel, 21 Nov. 1903, Morel papers.Google Scholar

⁸ Farnall's minute on Fox Bourne to Salisbury, 27 March 1902, F.O. 10/773.Google Scholar

⁹ Sir Gosselin's, Martin minute of 21 May 1902, F.O. 10/773.Google Scholar

¹⁰ Lansdowne's minute on Gosselin's memorandum of 5 June 1902, F.O. 10/773.Google Scholar

¹¹ 1 June 1897, F.O. 10/731.Google Scholar

¹² Salisbury's minute on Pickersgill's report of 2 June 1897, F.O. 10/731.Google Scholar

¹³ Salisbury's minute of 30 April 1900, F.O. 10/754.Google Scholar

¹⁴ Gosselin to Davidson, 10 May 1900, and Davidson to Gosselin, 16 May 1900, F.O. 10/754.Google Scholar

¹⁵ Cranborne's minute of 19 May 1903, F.O. 10/805.Google Scholar

¹⁶ Davidson to Gosselin, 16 May 1903, F.O. 10/754.Google Scholar

¹⁷ Lansdowne to Dilke, 1 March 1902, Dilke papers, British Museum Add. MS. 43917.Google Scholar

¹⁸ Farnall's minute of 3 April on Fox Bourne to Salisbury, 27 March 1902, F.O. 10/773.Google Scholar

¹⁹ The debate in the House of Commons last May was the first fruits of his devoted labours', Morning Post, 24 March 1904.Google Scholar

²⁰ Parliamentary Debates, 4th series, 122, 20 May 1903, c. 1298.Google Scholar

²¹ Ibid. c. 1304.

²² Ibid. c. 1332.

²³ Slade, Ruth M., English-Speaking Missions in the Congo Independent State, 1878–1908 (Brussels, 1959), 273.Google Scholar

²⁴ Farnall's minute of 5 June 1903, F.O. 10/805.Google Scholar

²⁵ Dilke to Morel, 20 June 1903, Morel papers; Slade, English-Speaking Missions, 274.Google Scholar

²⁶ Farnall's minute on Plunkett to Salisbury, No. 164 Africa, 18 June 1900, F.O. 10/754.Google Scholar

²⁷ Farnall's minute on Addison's memorandum of 11 May 1903, F.O. 10/803.Google Scholar

²⁸ See the memorandum of 10 Feb. 1904, F.O. 10/807.Google Scholar

²⁹ Lansdowne's minute on Fox Bourne to F.O., 5 May 1903, F.O. 10/803.Google Scholar

³⁰ These cases had become so numerous by 1903 that the Foreign Office decided to address a strong representation to the Congo administration; ‘I hope we are collecting materials for an indictment’, Lansdowne wrote shortly before the House of Commons debate in 1903 (Lansdowne's minute on Fox Bourne to F.O., May 1903, F.O. 10/803). The most important instance of maltreatment which could be proved was that of a British subject called Mrs Meyer, who had been robbed by the Congo police and then had her shop looted while under arrest. Her business was entirely ruined, and, after waiting in vain for her case to be settled in Boma, she returned to her home in Sierra Leone. Similar incidents were to form the basis of the Foreign Office's attack against the Congo State, but they were discarded in favour of Casement's report.Google Scholar

³¹ Casement exaggerated in 1909 when he recalled the origins of his journey: ‘I went up river, remember, … not as a result of any order of theirs. I had started and was almost at Stanley Pool with all my measures prepared when they telegraphed out suggesting that in view of the debate of May 1903 I might start.’ (Casement to Morel, private and confid., 29 Jan. 1909, Morel papers.) The actual sequence of events was: Casement telegraphed on 8 May 1903; ‘Leaving for interior end May’; the Foreign Office replied that he should remain in Boma; after the House of Commons debate on 20 May the Foreign Office telegraphed that he should begin his trip to the interior as soon as possible; Casement received this order on 4 June and departed the next day (F.O. 10/804).Google Scholar

³² Casement to Lansdowne, 9 Oct. 1905, F.O. 10/815; see also Casement to Morel, 27 June 1904, Morel papers;Google ScholarSingleton-Gates, Peter and Girodias, Maurice, The Black Diaries of Roger Casement (New York, 1959), pp. 73–4;Google Scholar and Thompson, Brooks, ‘A Letter of Roger Casement in the Sanford Collection’, English Historical Review, LXXVII, 01. 1962, pp. 98–102.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

³³ Casement to Morel, 15 March 1905, Morel papers.Google Scholar

³⁴ Casement wrote these lines to the Foreign Office in justification of his bluntly stated personal letter to the Governor-General of the Congo State in 1904; see below, p. 106. Cf. Phipps to Lansdowne, No. 71 Africa, 20 Sept. 1902, F.O. 10/773: ‘Mr Casement's persistent animadversion on everything connected with the Congolese administrative methods are the more striking to me inasmuch as I found him, on the occasion of his interview with His Majesty some eighteen months ago, deeply impressed by the enlightened views entertained by King Leopold, who had urged him not to conceal whatever conclusions he might arrive at upon his arrival on the spot.'Google Scholar

³⁵ Ward to Morel, 25 Aug. 1903, Morel papers.Google Scholar

³⁶ Unpublished history of the Congo Reform Association, Morel papers.Google Scholar

³⁷ Ibid.

³⁸ Casement to Lansdowne, No. 34 Africa, 15–16 Sept. 1903, F.O. 10/805.Google Scholar

³⁹ Casement to Farnall, private, 28 May 1903, F.O. 10/804.Google Scholar

⁴⁰ Gosselin's minute on Casement to Gosselin, private, 16 May 1902, F.O. 10/773.Google Scholar

⁴¹ Casement to Farnall, private, 28 May 1903, F.O. 10/804. The theme of surveillance by the Congo authorities runs through Casement's despatches. Reporting the results of his journey to the interior, Casement wrote: ‘I was being “shadowed” wherever I went, and had I continued to seek to find out the truth by personal contact with the natives themselves the authorities would have intervened, under one pretext or another, to prevent my continuing in that course.’ Casement to Lansdowne, No. 38 Africa, very confid., 30 Sept. 1903, F.O. 10/806.Google Scholar

⁴² Casement to Lansdowne, No. 28 Africa, 20 July 1903, F.O. 10/805.Google Scholar

⁴³ Ibid.

⁴⁴ ‘Mr Casement should be liberally treated in this matter.… It is essential that [he] … should be able to move about freely and the less he is bound to use government boats the better his chance of seeing what is the true state of the country.' Farnall's minute on Casement's No. 28 Africa.Google Scholar

⁴⁵ Africa No. I (1904).Google Scholar

⁴⁶ Gwynn, Denis, Traitor or Patriot? (New York, 1931);Google ScholarParmiter, Geoffrey de C., Roger Casement (London, 1936);Google Scholar more recent material in the Public Record Office and the Morel papers has been used by MacColl, René, Roger Casement (London, 1956);Google ScholarCostigan's, Giovanni ‘The Treason of Sir Roger Casement’, American Historical Review, LX (01. 1955),Google Scholar and Broeker's, Galen ‘Roger Casement: Background to Treason’, Journal of Modern History, XXIX (09. 1957) are scholarly efforts to trace and explain the causes of Casement's treason.Google Scholar

⁴⁷ Phipps to Villiers, private, 16 April 1905, F.O. 10/813.Google Scholar

⁴⁸ Casement to Farnall, private, 5 Aug. 1903, F.O. 10/805.Google Scholar

⁴⁹ Ibid.

⁵⁰ Casement to Lansdowne, No. Africa, confid., 6 Sept. 1903, F.O. 10/805.Google Scholar

⁵¹ One of the main difficulties is a gap in the evidence: Casement's No. 35 Africa was written on 5 Aug.; No. 32 Africa, confid. on Sept.Google Scholar

⁵² Casement to Farnall, 20 Feb. 1904, F.O. 10/808.Google Scholar

⁵³ Casement to Governor-General of the Congo State, 12 Sept. 1903, F.O. 10/806.Google Scholar

⁵⁴ Casement to Lansdowne, No. 38 Africa, very confid., 30 Sept. 1903, F.O. 10/806.Google Scholar

⁵⁵ Casement to Lansdowne, No. 34 Africa, 15–16 Sept. 1903, F.O. 10/805.Google Scholar

⁵⁶ See above, note 45.Google Scholar

⁵⁷ Phipps to Farnall, private, 26 Nov. 1903, F.O. 10/806.Google Scholar

⁵⁸ Casement to Governor-General, 12 Sept. 1903.Google Scholar

⁵⁹ Cf. ‘I do not think that the Congo Government will demand Mr Casement's recall on account of this letter and if they do they will make their position worse than it now is.’ Farnall's minute of 2 Nov. 1903, F.O. 10/806.Google Scholar

⁶⁰ Casement to Lansdowne, tel., 5 Oct. 1903, F.O. 10/806.Google Scholar

⁶¹ Casement to Lansdowne, No. Africa, 15–6 Sept. 1903, F.O. 10/805.Google Scholar

⁶² Ibid.

⁶³ Casement to Lansdowne, tel., 1 Sept. 1903, F.O. 10/805: ‘I ought to place facts before you before submitting these to any partial and pretended local investigation.’Google Scholar

⁶⁴ Casement to Lansdowne, No. 33 Africa, very confid., 30 Sept. 1903, F.O. 10/806Google Scholar

⁶⁵ Clarke's minute of 23 Sept. 1903, F.O. 10/805.Google Scholar

⁶⁶ Assistant Under-Secretary.Google Scholar

⁶⁷ Campbell's minute of 18 Oct. 1903, F.O. 10/805.Google Scholar

⁶⁸ Singleton-Gates, Black Diaries, p. 179.Google Scholar

⁶⁹ See Morell to Duke, 17 Sept. 1903, Duke papers.Google Scholar

⁷⁰ 13Nov. 1903.Google Scholar

⁷¹ Clarke's minute of 19 Sept. 1904, F.O. 10/811. Jones was a director of the Elder Dempster shipping lines, whose steamers plied between Antwerp and the Congo under contract with the Congo Government. On 9 and 20 Dec. 1903.Google Scholar

⁷² On 9 and 20 Dec. 1903.Google Scholar

⁷³ See Villiers's memoranda of 10 Dec. 1903, F.O. 10/806 and 21 Dec. 1903, F.O. 10/807; cf. Casement to Fox Bourne, private and confid., 1 Oct. 1904, papers of the Aborigines Protection Society, Rhodes House, Oxford; and Slade, English-Speaking Missions, pp. 287–8.Google Scholar

⁷⁴ Lansdowne's minute on Villiers's memorandum of 10 Dec.Google Scholar

⁷⁵ Singleton-Gates, Black Diaries, p. 183.Google Scholar

⁷⁶ From the unpublished history of the Congo Reform Association, Morel papers.Google Scholar

⁷⁷ Farnall's minute of 22 Dec. 1903, F.O. 10/807.Google Scholar

⁷⁸ Villiers's minutes of 28 Dec. 1903, F.O. 10/807.Google Scholar

⁷⁹ From the unpublished history of the Congo Reform Association, Morel papers.Google Scholar

⁸⁰ Salisbury to Lansdowne, 26 Jan. 1904, F.O. 10/807.Google Scholar

⁸¹ Ibid.

⁸² Villiers's memorandum of 21 Dec. 1903, F.O. 10/807.Google Scholar

⁸³ Pearson's memorandum of 21 Jan. 1904, F.O. 10/807; Broeker, ‘Roger Casement’, 239.Google Scholar

⁸⁴ Lansdowne's minute of [?] 28 Jan. 1904, F.O. 10/807.Google Scholar

⁸⁵ Except the names of the European Congo officials: ‘It has been a pain to me all the way through to have to refer to these poor men by name.’ Casement to Farnall, 4 Jan. 1904, F.O. 10/807.Google Scholar

⁸⁶ Farnall's memorandum of 13 Jan. 1904, F.O. 10/807.Google Scholar

⁸⁷ Casement to F.O., tel., 7 Feb. 1904, F.O. 10/807.Google Scholar

⁸⁸ Percy's minute on Villiers to Percy, 21 Jan. 1904, F.O. 10/807.Google Scholar

⁸⁹ Casement to Fox Bourne, 25 Jan. 1904, A.P.S. papers.Google Scholar

⁹⁰ Villiers to Casement, tel., 5 Feb. 1904, F.O. 10/807.Google Scholar

⁹¹ Casement to Farnall, 11 Feb. 1904, F.O. 10/808.Google Scholar

⁹² Ibid.

⁹³ Salisbury's memorandum of 26 Jan. 1904, F.O. 10/807.Google Scholar

⁹⁴ Lansdowne's minute of [?]28 Jan. 1904, F.O. 10/807: ‘This course has its disadvantages, but the publication of the names of the natives would certainly be criticized adversely. …Google Scholar

⁹⁵ ‘How weak this continuous twisting of letters is!' Casement to Farnall, 20 Feb. 1904, F.O. 10/808. The following telegram from the British Minister in Brussels with Lansdowne's minute explains the final timing of the publication date: ‘Please manage to prevent issue of report by Casement until after 10th instant, date on which I must unavoidably encounter King of the Belgians. The publication will inevitably put me in an awkward position at court.’ (Phipps to Barrington, private tel., 5 Feb. 1904 F.O. 10/807); Lansdowne: ‘I think we should postpone laying the Blue Book until the 11th so as to make quite sure that the King receives his copy before the contents get out here.’ (Lansdowne's minute on Phipps's telegram.)Google Scholar

⁹⁶ Casement to Farnall, 20 Feb. 1904, F.O. 10/808. Consistency was not one of Casement's virtues. Within one month he completely reversed his views on the point on which he threatened to resign, urging that the names of his witnesses should not be given to the Commission of Inquiry because of the danger of vengeance. See Villiers to Lansdowne, 53 April 1904, F.O. 10/808.Google Scholar

⁹⁷ Casement to Morel, 55 March 1905, Morel papers.Google Scholar

⁹⁸ Casement to Morel, 2 Feb. 1905, Morel papers; Costigan, ‘The Treason of Sir Roger Casement’, p. 287.Google Scholar

⁹⁹ Casement to Morel, 52 April 5905, Morel papers.Google Scholar

¹⁰⁰ Casement to Morel, private and confid., 13 Feb. 1904, Morel papers.Google Scholar

¹⁰¹ Phipps to Lansdowne, No. 25 Africa, confid., 27 Feb. 1904, F.O. 10/773.Google Scholar

¹⁰² Phipps to Farnall, private, 14 Feb. 1904, F.O. 10/807.Google Scholar

¹⁰³ Phipps to Villiers, private, 12 June, F.O. 10/810.Google Scholar

¹⁰⁴ See Phipps to Lansdowne, No. 9 Africa, 12 Feb. 1904, F.O. 10/808.Google Scholar

¹⁰⁵ Lansdowne's private secretary.Google Scholar

¹⁰⁶ Phipps to Lansdowne, No. 31 Africa (changed to Phipps to Villiers, private), 16 April 1905, F.O. 10/813.Google Scholar

¹⁰⁷ Phipps to Villiers, private, 24 April 1905, F.O. 10/813.Google Scholar

¹⁰⁸ Casement to Morel, ? April, 1905, Morel papers.Google Scholar

¹⁰⁹ St James Budget, 28 Oct. 1910.Google Scholar

¹¹⁰ Unpublished history of the Congo Reform Association, Morel papers.Google Scholar

¹¹¹ See Cocks, F. Seymour, Morel, E. D.: the Man and His Work (London, 1920).Google Scholar

¹¹² Morel called Casement ‘Tiger’, and their mutual letters often began with the salutation ‘Dear Bulldog’ or ‘Dear Tiger’.Google Scholar

¹¹³ Casement to Dilke, private, 1 Jan. 1904, A.P.S. papers.Google Scholar

¹¹⁴ Unpublished C.R.A. history.Google Scholar

¹¹⁵ Casement to Fox Bourne, 25 Jan. 1904, A.P.S. papers.Google Scholar

¹¹⁶ Unpublished history of the C.R.A.Google Scholar

¹¹⁷ Dilke to Morel, private, 28 Jan. 1904 (copy), A.P.S. papers.Google Scholar

¹¹⁸ Dilke to Casement, 12 Feb. 1904 (copy), A.P.S. papers.Google Scholar

¹¹⁹ Ibid.

¹²⁰ In The British Case in the French Congo (London, 1903).Google Scholar

¹²¹ Fox Bourne to Morel, 1 Feb. 1904, A.P.S. papers.Google Scholar

¹²² Casement to Fox Bourne, private and confid., 12 Feb. 1904, A.P.S. papers.Google Scholar

¹²³ Morel to Fox Bourne, 30 Jan. 1904, A.P.S. papers.Google Scholar

¹²⁴ Morel to Dilke, tel., 1 Feb. 1904 A.P.S. papers.Google Scholar

¹²⁵ Morel to Fox Bourne, 7 March 1904, A.P.S. papers.Google Scholar

¹²⁶ Casement to Morel, tel., 1 Feb. 1904, Morel papers.Google Scholar

¹²⁷ Casement to Morel, private and confid., 13 Feb. 1904, Morel papers.Google Scholar

¹²⁸ Ibid.

¹²⁹ Ibid.

¹³⁰ Casement to Morel, 9 March 1904, Morel papers.Google Scholar

¹³¹ Casement to Morel, 24 March 1904, Morel papers.Google Scholar

¹³² Fox Bourne to Morel, 10 March 1904, Morel papers.Google Scholar

¹³³ Casement to Dilke, private, 4 May 1904, A.P.S. papers.Google Scholar

¹³⁴ Casement to Morel, 8 Sept. 1904, Morel papers.Google Scholar

¹³⁵ Morning Post, 19 July 1904.Google Scholar

¹³⁶ Casement to Morel, 8 Aug. 1904, Morel papers.Google Scholar

¹³⁷ Casement to Morel, 15 March 1905, Morel papers.Google Scholar

¹³⁸ Ibid.

¹³⁹ ‘It is obvious that we Cannot enter the arena with these people of whose misrepresentations Mr Casement complains [in reference to the articles appearing in the Catholic Herald]. … I do not think we can do more than tell Mr Casement we are much obliged for his communications which will certainly provide us with ample material for reply should an official representation ever be addressed to us. …’ Clarke's minute on Casement to Lansdowne, 9 Oct. 1905, F.O. 10/815, initialled by Campbell, Percy and Lansdowne.Google Scholar

¹⁴⁰ ‘… a deserved tribute of respect to an eminent British civil servant. … Mr Casement had an exceedingly difficult task. … That gentleman has been the object of many unjust attacks. …’ The Times, 4 July 1906.Google Scholar

¹⁴¹ Casement to Morel, 24 Jan. 1906, Morel papers.Google Scholar

¹⁴² See Broeker, ‘Roger Casement’.Google Scholar

¹⁴³ Casement to Morel, private, 16 July 1906, Morel papers.Google Scholar

¹⁴⁴ Casement to Morel, 17 July 1906, Morel papers.Google Scholar

¹⁴⁵ Casement to Morel, 4 Aug. 1906, Morel papers.Google Scholar

¹⁴⁶ Casement to Morel, 13 June 1912, Morel papers.Google Scholar

¹⁴⁷ Casement to Morel, 13 June 1912, Morel papers.Google Scholar

¹⁴⁸ Unpublished history of the C.R.A., Morel papers.Google Scholar

¹⁴⁹ See Clarke's minute on Casement's telegram of 15 Sept. 1903, F.O. 10/805.Google Scholar

¹⁵⁰ Casement to Morel, 4 Jan. 1907, Morel papers.Google Scholar

¹⁵¹ Casement to Morel, 14 Dec. 1904, Morel papers.Google Scholar

¹⁵² Casement to Morel, 15 Dec. 1904, Morel papers.Google Scholar

¹⁵³ Casement to Morel, 21 Aug. 1906, Morel papers.Google Scholar