7230/3/37
General.
This have had to be abitrantest
In thinsti
me
See 9 on the
above file. See 83.
See 88.
On Mr. Gent's instructions I am recirculating
this file, together with the General file on the
neutrality of Hong Kong territorial waters.
In 82 the C. in C., China, states that he
is not aware whether Chinese Customs Cruisers are
permitted to operate using Hong Kong as a base and our
territorial waters for their security. He considers
such a course to be provocative and to the detriment
of Anglo-Japanese relations locally. In 88 he states
that he does not propose to take any steps at this
moment which may have the effect of further prejudicing
our relations with Japan, and suggests that Chinese
national maritime customs vessels snould not be
allowed to "trade on the security of British
territorial waters" i.e. presumably should be
prevented from using them at all.
By the terms of the 1898 Convention between
Chinese
Great Britain and China, ships of war, whether neutral
ᄉ
or otherwise, retained the right to use the waters of
Mirs Bay and Deep Bay. The attack on the Chinese
Customs Cruiser took place within the limits of Deep
Bay (Black Point is the end of the peninsula to the
south of Deep Bay).
we have already suggested to the Admiralty
that the best method of discouraging either Chinese
or Japanese commanders from attempting to commit
belligerent acts in Hong Kong waters is the maintenance
of a constant patrol by H.M.ships. This is the step
suggested by the Commodore-in-charge, Hong Hong, but
nis suggestion is turned down by the C. in C. China.
in his minute of 15.12.37 under 17 on the General
file, Mr. Gent has pointed out that H. M. G. has a duty
in such cases to China to maintain the neutrality
of Hong Kong waters, just as we have a duty to protect
Japanese