21
t
at the meetup
today exposed
the new
basis, since no formal state of war existed, and
that he should refuse any applications for permission
to fly over the Colony or its waters in respect of
Chinese and Japanese military aircraft. While
aircraft attempting such flights could be compelled
to land, and proceedings could be taken against them,
as provided in the Air Navigation Order of 1927, the
Governor was told in a special subsequent telegram,
sent after discussion in the O.D. C., that it would
be most undesirable for fire to be opened on Chinese
or Japanese military aircraft in such circumstances
in order to compel them to land unless hostile acts
were actually committed by aircraft; if there were
any such unauthorised flights in which no hostile
act was committed, the Governor should report home
at once in order that an immediate protest could be
made through diplomatic channels. The Foreign Office
and Air Ministry representatives thought that in
practice the only Chinese or Japanese aircraft likely
to make unauthorised flights over Hong Kong were
Japanese military aircraft. It was considered that
it was just as important to preserve the air integrity
of the Colony as its land and water integrity.
Possibly the best procedure might be to have a
Proclamation ready against any emergency for
declaring the whole of Hong Kong as a restricted
area for flying, if this were possible under the Air
Navigation Convention. Such a restricted area would
contemplate the flying of all machines over the Colony
as unauthorised) unless previous notice had been given Ca
(this would meet the essential needs of the civil air
lines). If such a Proclamation of a`restricted area
were not feasible, then we should have to have
recourse to a Proclamation of the whole of Hong Kong