80
ल
that
a
inquiry should be made into the subject with a view to preventing the future display of any Flag not warranted by International usage.
44
'usage.
The Consul's reply attempts to justify
the display of the Japanese thing
on the occasion
by reason of
the presence
on board of a Japanese named Moukanyama,
who had accompanied the young
mother to Europe, and he concludes
by inquiring
whether I desire to inaugurate
a contrary doctrine, that is, apparently, to maintain that a Merchant vessel has right to hoist a foreign flag on such occasions, as, if so, he would refer the question to his Government.
2.
The reply of the Military Secretary
to that communication is extremely
cautious and makes
no such assertion
as that the International
"Hooghly
contravened
usage by displaying the
the Japanese Flag. It merely informs Consul that instructions would be
given to the Major General commanding
to take measures for preventing any attention being paid to any special flag hoisted by the Mercantile Steamers till the reason of its display had been
ascertained, an instruction which therefore concedes the right to display
a flag.
3. Such a proceeding is very different from denying a right to hoist the Japanese or any other Flag as a special