waters under her own steam and flying the
Japanese flag: although she may not have been
in tow, she must presumably have been towed off
the beach to get under way at all. From the
evidence at our disposal, selected pessages from
which you might, at your discretion, communicate
to the Japanese Government, His Majesty's
Government remain in no doubt that Japenese
sailors did in fact land on Hong Kong
territory and there is good ground for thinking
that they made off with a number of chickens.
Finally it is a matter for serious regret that
the Japanese appear from their failure to refer
to the point to be unwilling to inform their
naval authorities of their declared policy in
regard to the integrity of the customs
administration. The sincerity of their
previous assurances in that respect therefore
remains in doubt.
34 END