Copy.
SECRET.
MESSAGE.
From C. in C. China.
FOREIGN OFFICE CYPHER K.
IN.
DATE
7.11.37.
RECD.
• ·
1543.
85
48
Addressed Admiralty repeated Diplomatic Mission Nanking
No. 110, Commodore, Hong Kong, No. 713 for
Tokyo No. 77, R.A. Yangtse, No. 984.
410. Reference Tokyo message 628 to Foreign Office
and other reports of possible hardening attitude of Japanese,
following appreciation is submitted.
Further
(a) It is not evident that any strengthening of blockade
can take place without a declaration of war on China.
measures of interference with British ships without this
declaration would be without established precedent.
(b) Declaration of war may be with two objects: 1. To
strengthen the blockade. 2. To satisfy Japanese public
opinion by further removing foreign influence and interference
with conduct of war.
(c) To achieve para. (b) 2
-
foreign powers would be
requested to remove ships and troops from China. In this
connection see Admiralty messages 810 of 8th October, 1936,
and 856 of 23rd October, 1936, to 0. in C.
(a) On the other hand para. (b)l could be achieved without
measures in para. (c) in which case action would be tantamount
to acknowledging our special position at Shanghai Tientsin,
Amoy and Canton and possibly other treaty ports and Wei Hai
Wei in spite of war. I think this would be the most likely
course.
(e)