In accordance with the German-Russian Treaty of Peace and in order to clarify the position of the [Russian] Baltic Fleet based in Helsingfors during the forthcoming conquest of the said city by German troops, and to prevent whenever possible any outbreak of hostilities and destruction caused by some incautious act, the Commander of the German Navy in Hangö notifies the Commander of the Russian Fleet, as the answer to the question expressed through a delegation of the Baltic Fleet, after having negotiated with the said delegation which also approved the answer, of the following:
A complete safety and security for the Russian Fleet based in Helsinki and its crews is guaranteed in accordance of the following stipulations:
1. After the return of the members of the delegation in Helsingfors, no damage shall henceforth be caused to war or merchant ships lying there, and neither to naval establishments or coastal fortresses.
2. After the arrival of German troops only a small detail of sentries can stay on board Russian war ships (cf. point 6). The Russians shall leave the land fortresses and naval establishments.
3. The locks and sights of cannons on all ships and in coastal fortresses as well as torpedo heads, explosive cartridges and other similar things shall immediately been piled up into barges and freighters, and anchored in the roadstead. This measure shall be finished in 5 days after the members of the delegation have left Hangö. The fulfillment of this shall be wired to those members of the delegation who will stay at German naval troops using the address "W A." on a wavelength of 600 m.
4. The German naval commander promises a safe conduct to Russia for those parts of the crews who will not, in accordance with points 6 to 7, be staying on board Russian war ships and shall guarantee them a fully free passage and blameless provisioning during the transportation. At the time of the arrival of German troops there, the crews not designated to stay on board Russian war ships, shall embark the freighters, which the Russian naval commander is obliged to reserve for this purpose right now. Right after the embarkation the freighters will sail out of the port under German escort.
5. Adjusting Russian warships for their transfer under the care of Russian guard details shall be initiated right upon the arrival of those members of the delegation who left for Helsingfors.
This measure is to be performed with absolute urgency. It is desired being finished within 14 days at the latest.
6. The guard details, officers included, can consist of:
On line-of-battle ships not more than 30 men.
On cruisers 20 "
On ships of type "Novik" 10 "
On 1st class torpedo boats 5 "
On all submarines* not more than 30 in total "
On all small torpedo boats and
other small war ships 50 "
(The right to decide the precise figure is reserved)
On minelayers either as on cruisers or type "Novik" ships depending on their sizes.
7. The maintenance crews, which can stay on board along with the guard details until the work in accordance of the point 5 is finished, cannot exceed the double number of the men in the guard details as defined in the point 6.
8. As the signal that the said measures are or will be taken and that the Russian Navy and the coastal fortresses are determined to maintain complete neutrality, all Russian ships of war and coastal fortresses shall, at the approach of the German fighting forces, hoist a red-white flag on a clearly visible place.
9. Because it is for military reasons not possible that all members of the delegation should immediately return to Helsingfors, four members of the delegation shall stay in Hangö. Immediately after the conquest of Helsingfors they will be allowed to return there.
Captain Novopashennyi gives his word of honour that he nor the commissar returning with him will not give any such information which, in any way, might be disadvantageous to the German fighting forces.
10. When these conditions are met, those ships of war which will remain in Helsingfors can still keep the Russian war flag waving.
sign. Meurer **
Rear Admiral, commander of the Baltic special contingent.
The wording above is produced by the leader of the negotations, Lieutenant-Commander Kiep***, the first staff officer for the admiral of the Baltic special contingent, on grounds of negotiations with us, and on our behalf we accept this wording.
Members of the delegation sent to Hangö by the commander of the Russian Fleet in Helsingfors:
sign. Novopashennyj
sign. Helmersen
sign. Borodayevsky
sign. Komelov
sign. Dushik
sign. Grigoryev.
*) The Russian text lacks any mention about submarines.
**) In the Russian text the Rear Admiral Meurer (1869-1960) is written as Meyer.
***) The Lieutenant-commander Leisler Kiep is written as Kliep (Klip) in the Russian text.
Despite the Finnish translation uses the Finnish language names for Helsinki and Hanko, their Swedish names are used in the agreement and in this translation.
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