is Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government, and should be returned
to the Foreign Office if not required for official use.
76
From JAPAN.
Decode.
Sir R. Craigie (Tokyo).
30th October, 1937.
D.
5.20 p.m.
30th October, 1957.
R.
9.50 a.m.
30th October, 1937.
No. 613. (R).
Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs yesterday refered to attacks on trains proceeding from Canton to howloon (Hongkong telegrams Nos. 29 and 32). Report on one of these cases showed that Japanese aircraft mistook train for goods train and attacked it because it was objective of naval authorities to put out of action freight trains and engines which could be used for transport of munitions. He suggested that British rolling stock should not proceed beyond border of Kowloon territory.
I objected to this on the grounds that we had every right
llorcover attacks on
to continue the present arrangements.
trains not carrying troops necessarily involved danger to non- combatants. I urged again strongly that in view of insignificant amount of munitions involved these attacks on railway should be
discontinued.
Addressed to the Foreign Office No. 613; repeated to Hongkong,
Canton.