55638/11
NO DISTRIBUTION.
Decypher. Sir R. Craigie (Tokyo).
25th July, 1938.
D.
R.
25th July, 1938.
25th July, 1938.
No, 891.
55
63
Addressed to Foreign Ofice No. 891 of July 25th.
My telegram No. 869.
In my original letter to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of June 21st reported in my telegram No. 767 after referring to His Excellency's assurance that there was no intention on the part of the Japanese authorities to discriminate against British shipping, I said that conclusive evidence had reached me that Restrictions imposed by those authorities had in fact dis- criminatory effect on British trade,
There is no direct reply to this charge in Vice Minister
for Foreign Affairs letter reported in my telegram under reference. I propose in my reply to return to this point and say on comparing the contents of the letter with fuller report of voyage of Muriel Moller now received (despatch No. 227 from His lajesty's Consul General Shanghai to His Majesty's Ambassador) I am forced to the conclusion that whatever may be the intentions of the Japanese Government the Japanese Naval and Military authorities are endeavouring to turn the situation on the Yangtze to their advantage in a manner discriminatory to British Shipping. I will add that this conclusion will remain unless some concrete facilities are given to British Shipping to carry on trade which is available and for which there is a demand, especially as it is clear that there are now no dangers in passing through the barrier to Kowan other than normal risks of navigation on that stretch of the river.
Repeated to Shanghai.