-3-
Was
27
the only one who actually boarded the attacking vessel.
an inclined to believe from his story that a Japanese
mercantile flag white with a red circular centre
hoisted on the approach to Lintia. He never went forward of the after part of the vessel, which was estimated at
about 50 to 60' over all.
I
9. Of the two remaining vitnesses who could have
given further evidence, ne has married away to an unknown
husband, and the other was only a foki who has left his
master's employment. To far neither of the has been traced
acain.
10. The attacking vessel arcars to have been a kind of
small motor-boat, which sonc of the time at least was flying a Japanese mercantile flag. (Incidentally I submit that it would have been much easier for all the witnessesif they were inventing a story to have described instead one of the not uncommon trawlers that i'ish around these waters). The boat was armed (? a machine-un or 3-pounder forward), and had not
been fishing; the crew were in some sort of uniform, were either off duty or perhaps slackly disciplined, armed, and
spoke n. Cint nesc.
11.
I understand unofficially from the Naval Authorities
that a number of Japanesc vessels other than the men-of-war
around the outh China coast have during the present hostilitics been given the equivalent of Naval Reserve status, but that
they continue to fly the mercantile flag. I believe also
that it is by these ships with their non-professional crews,
often made up of lower-class fishermen, and not by the genuine
Japanese liavy, that the worse atrocities beyond the mere
sinking of confiscating of jun:s are comitted.
12.
The Police have no record of having themselves seen
a vessel like the ne described in this case. This is the
only uncorroborated point in the story which tside evidence