JAPEHAND.
BRITISH EMBASSY,
16
XXXXXX
No. ¡l (26/47.7/1938, Copied to:
Tokyo No. 3 Hongkong 2
SHANGHAI, 13th January, 1938
v^
103
300 30
sir,
From Mr. Forbes to I-0. of Customs dated 6/1/1938.
Draft reply to ar. Forbea
with reference to my telegram No. 775 of the
24th December last, on the subject of the operation of
Chinese preventive cruisers in Hongkong waters, I have
the honour to report that the reventive Secretary of
the Chinese karitime Customs showed me today a letter
from the Customs Commissioner, Kowloon, to the Inspector-
General of Customs, copies of which are enclosed.
ar. iritchard communicated to me at the same
time the draft of a letter, copies of which are also
enclosed, which sir Frederick Maze proposed to addreas
to mr. Forbes in reply, and enquired whether I saw any
objection to its termE . lie pointed out that the Customs
Administration feared that if their cruisers continued
to operate in hongkong waters, they might lay themselves
open to reprisals from the Japanese elsewhere apart from
the risk of embroiling the Colony with the Japanese
authorities.
I informed år. .ritchard that I saw no
objection to the sending of Sir Frederick Maze's letter
as drafted; as it was obvious that there were other
considerations of importance to the Customs which did
The Right Honourable
Anthony Eden, M.C., k.i.,
etc.,
etc.,
etc.,
POREIGN OFFICE.
/ not