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CYPHER TELEGRAM from the Governor of Hong Kong to the
Secretary of State for the Colonies.
Dated 23rd March, 1938.
Received 9.0 a.m. 23rd March.
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WING EVEN AS MOBAKARI KEPADREZORERISSA CORPSEEN. JOS Egy
Addressed to Secretary of State for the Colonies
telegram No.74 March 23rd repeated to Tokyo telegram No. 34.
Kerr telegram No.48 copy to Commander in Chief Tokyo telegram
No.852 to the Foreign Office. Apart from the question of
international policy raised by the Japanese suggestion there are
two other serious objections to its acceptance firstly,
the term British junk" if as it would be construed would
cover less than 10 junks out of some 4,000 to 5,000
licensed at this port and plying outside territorial waters:
alternatively, if junks belonging to Chinese possessing dual
British nationality are intended not only would the task of
identification take at least a year to complete, but also
presumably prior authority of the Chinese Government would be
necessary before vessels belonging to Chinese subjects could
be offered protection as being British vessels: in this
latter connection the fact that protection of such vessels
may in Chinese waters have to be taken into consideration,
Secondly, it is unquestionable that protective
? markings designed to identify British junks would be almost
aure to be copied by all others plying in these latitudes..
In view of the foregoing Japanese suggestion
appears to be impracticable.