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a précis of the evidence drawn up by the Detective
Inspector charged with the investigation.
From the
full report it would appear that, as stated by Your
Excellency, the Customs cruiser left the shore under her
own steam, though it seems possible that the two motor
boats which visited her from the Japanese destroyer may
have towed her off the beach where she had been aban-
doned by the crew. The evidence of various eyewitnesses
of the incident, however, shows that the Customs ensign
was lowered and the Japanese flag raised before the
Customs cruiser, manned by Japanese sailors, followed
in the wake of the destroyer with whom she remained in
visual signal communication.
4,
The Captain of the Customs oruiser, with the
greater part of the crew, retired over the hills to the
south of Black Point, leaving the First Officer,
Boatswain and two ratings in the vicinity.
The police
launch which collected this latter group on the evening
of the incident verified that the customs cruiser had
in fact been taken away from the spot at which she had
been beached. The Customs oruiser was eventually
found two days after the incident (i.e. the morning of
the 15th December) ashore in Hai Mun Bay on Hong Kun
Island. It is believed on further available evidence
that the Customs vessel was abandoned by the Japanese
boarding party on the day of the incident (11th December)
and allowed to drift.
5. His/
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