NOTHING TO
BE
WRITTEN
IN
THIS
MARGIN.
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legal grounds upon which they could be detained.
Whether the latter exist seems to me to be a
matter entirely for the Hong Kong authorities
themselves, and unless they can suggest some
way in which this can be done, I really do not
see how we are in a position to. I certainly
do not think it would be possible for us on, so
to speak, public grounds to request the Hong
Kong authorities to use any special or emergency
powers which they may possess in order to pre-
vent these ships leaving.
If the Chinese authorities are anxious that
these vessels should not fall into Japanese
hands, it is surely for them to take the neces-
sary steps vis-à-vis the Chinese owners and, if
necessary, to make it worth the latter's while
not to part with them.
K
April 24th, 1939.
then let us reply
in this sense Oco.
Tokyo Repai
Cappy epce o
epce o Tokyo
(less tels. Who they already have)
24/10
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