F_11074/4/10
33
FOREIGN OFFICE,
S.W.1.
27th October, 1938.
gir,
With reference to Tokyo telegram No.1195 of
14th October on the subject of the boarding of s.8.
"City of Oran", I am directed by Viscount Halifax to
transmit, for the information of the Board of Trade, a
copy of a further telegram from His Majesty's Ambassador
at Tokyo stating that the ship was boarded for reasons
of security in connexion with the Japanese landing in
Bias Bay.
2.
It appears however from the message from His
Excellency the Commander-in-Chief, China Station, to His
Majesty's Ambassador at Tokyo of 16th October, a copy of
which has, it is understood, been communicated to the
Board of Trade, that the action of the Japanese boarding
officer in calling for the production of the ship's
papers other than the certificate of registry clearly went
beyond what has previously been made clear to the Japanese
authorities as permissible (see in this connexion Foreign
office telegram to Tokyo No.416 of the 21st October, 1937).
Lord Halifax would accordingly propose, subject
to the concurrence of the Board, to instruct His Majesty's
Ambassador at Tokyo to register a protest with the
3.
Japanese /
The Secretary
to the Board of Trade.