2-
31
4
an important source of cheap food supply to this Colony,
which it is, moreover, essential to conserve in the
general interests of defence.
3. Some improvement has recently been noted in the
situation owing to the institution of an intermittent
patrol by the Naval Authorities within territorial waters
to ensure that no irregular actions by Chinese or Japanese
belligerents take place within such waters; and no attacks
have been noticed when a patrol boat, either of the Navy
or the Water Police is in sight, but the owners of the
larger junks are still afraid to put out to sea beyond
territorial waters. This fear is well founded as a
patrol boat could not interfere outside territorial waters
if the Japanese ignored her presence.
4.
I shall be glad if further consideration might
be given to the question whether representations on this
subject should not be made to the Japanese Authorities.
No doubt in that case the Japanese will assert that these
attacks are justified by the necessity to prevent the
Chinese from reconnoitring their bases or conveying
munitions of war into China, or that they are made in self- defence against hostile Chinese craft; and they will probably revert to the suggestion, which is discussed in
previous correspondence (vide my secret telegram No.74 of 23rd March, 1938,) that junks should bear special
markings. Nevertheless, both on general humanitarian grounds and in the interests of an important industry and of the workers in it, who represent one of the best