MINUTES
MINUTES NOT TO BE WRITÄ
ON THIS SIDE.
In any further communication
on the subject, please quote
No.
F 3650/2405/10.
and address,
Immediate
not la une peraon by name,
bub to-
"The Undor-Becretary of State."
Foreign Om.co.
London, S. W, 1,
636
FOREIGN OFFICE.
S.7.1.
December 29th, 1923.
Sir,.
With reference to your letter No. 53537/23 of
November 10th last, I am directed by the Secretary of State
for Foreign Affairs to transmit herewith a copy of a
telegram from His Majesty's Minister at Peking regarding
another revenue launch belonging to the Chinese Salt
Administration which has taken refuge at Hongkong, and which
the Governor is cont empl at ing handing over to the Canton
authorities if she is not removed within a week.
C
2. I am to point out that even if the belligerents
were recognised as independent states at war with each
other, His Majesty's Goverment could not refuse to intern
an armed vessel belonging to one of them which had taken
refuge within British territorial waters. Still less is it
possible for His Majesty's Goverment to hand over a vessel
belonging to the recognised Chinese Government to a province
in a state of rebellion.
3. The Secretary of State would be glad therefore if
the Secretary of State for the Colonies could see his way
to issue immediate instructions to Sir R. Stubbs to intern
this vessel as was done in the previous case of the "Suinem"
I am,
Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
J. Welleden
Under Secretary of State,
Colonial office.