42 Ë The Russo-Japanese War
Fig. 2.16.SteamshipSiriuslog.
formed his governor in the Caucasus on 9 September (22 September) that based on the
information he had received from Amsterdam the boat had left the port on the same
day with weapons and explosives for London, whence it appeared to proceed either
to Finland or to the Caucasus.⁸⁹Although Lamsdorf instructed the Russian mission
in London to watch for the boat, it was not to be found there. Because of the failure
of theJohn Grafton, theSiriuscrew were extremely careful and kept their activities
strictly con dential. Christiaan Cornelissen’s brother Pierre, a wholesale merchant in
coee, provided coee barrels as a cover for the weapons. The whole scheme was kept
in strict secrecy.
Meanwhile, by 24 October (old style) theSiriushad already reached the port of
Valetta on Malta. The boat then moved to Sète (Cette) in France, where the crew
awaited further instructions. But by 1 November, Captain W. van Oppen and First
Machinist H. Bu had abandoned the boat, apparently fearing the possible conse-
quences of the risky operation to the Caucasus. Cornelissen was dispatched, along
with two Dutchmen who replaced Bu, to help with the operation on board under the
89 GSCHA, f. 13, op. 29, d. 54, ll. 1–2.