defence interests of Hong Kong if any risk were taken
of the paralysis of the port by labour trouble, pro-
vided that, on the other hand, we gave no unnecessary
provocation to Japan refusing railway facilities
to their forces.
It was agreed that a telegram to the
Governor should be drafted, for the concurrence of the
F.0. and Service Departments, to say that if he were
satisfied that a paralysis of the port and railway
by strike action would follow any attempt to rail to
the Japanese forces consignments of war material,
or even of food supplies, H.M. G. is ready to agree
that such a situation would be contrary to the
defence interests of Hong Kong, and that if the
Japanese were to demand such railway facilities they
should be refused; moreover, H.M.G. would be prepared
to support such refusal in case of war material on
the ground that it complied with the proper obliga-
tions of a neutral territory; and that, finally, it
would accord with political feeling in this country
as well as with the League of Nations policy that
such facilities should not be accorded to Japan in
their present campaign against China.
114