Copy
POFO 43.
COPY FOR REGISTRATION
Lap
CYPHR telegram from the Governor of Hong Kong to the
Secretary of State for the Colonies.
Dated 21st November 1938.
39
Received 5.22 a.m., 21st November.
No. 327.
Addressed to Tokio telegram No. 95 of 21st November
Secretary of State for the
Shanghai telegram No. 200
Colonies telegram No. 327.
Cact to (38)
Your telegram to the Foreign Office (Saving 13).
Attack on the crew of Hong Kong junk No. 2012 HO. This
Government sees no reason to doubt bona fides of the witnesses.
It is highly improbable that the men died at the hands of
the pirates or private enemies since
1s
It would be
expected rather that survivors would have so reported in order
that offenders may be traced and brought to justice,
2. Firates would have attacked the junk, not sampan, and
3. Irivate enemies would hardly have followed this elaborate
procedure to accomplish their revenge or have left one man
half dead to tell against them.
2.
Survivors themselves have put in no claim for
compensation from the Japanese for their losses.
3. The witnesses still here have been closely re-tested
and Cheung Kwai avers that attack on the vessel was a small gre
motor boat with brown upper works and a gun mounted forward
which wore the Japanese Mercantile Marine flag and was manned
by men, some of whom had beards, wearing white cloth
uniforms western style with white buttons and shoulder badges
but no outside belts and some also wore white caps with black
peaks. Fuller statement follows by safe hand.