2
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government, and should be returned
to the Foreign Office if not required for official use.)
70
From JAPAN.
Decode.
Sir R. Craigie (Tokyo),
21st March, 1938.
D.
9.55 p.m.
21st March, 1938.
R.
3.00 p.m.
21st March, 1938.
No. 352. (R).
My immediately preceding telegram.
I have received also identic note No. 11 March 20th reading as follows. Begins:-
According to reliable information in the possession of the Imperial Government the Chinese have recently been using junks for the transport of arms on a considerable scale in the neighbourhood of Canton in an attempt to penetrate the area covered by blockade which the Imperial Navy are forcing. The Imperial Navy are thus compelled to stiffen their control of these junks and may on occasion find it necessary to reply with force to the resistance put up by junks. I therefore have the honour to request that in order to avoid unfortunate confusion which might occur with junks belonging to third Powers Your Excellency will be so good as to communicate with the authorities concerned in order to secure the provision on British junks in future of vertical and horizontal markings such as can be clearly distinguished from a distance.
Ends.
Addressed to Foreign Office No. 352 March 21st, repeated to Hongkong (and for Commander-in-Chief as No. 69) and Sir A. Clark Kerr.