FOR REGIOTRATION
CYPILER TELEGRAM from the Governor of Hong Kong to the
Secretary of State for the Colonies.
Dated 23rd February,
39CREVED 6.1 a.m.,
98
12.
No6.1 a.m., 23rd February.
23 FEB1939
Most Immediato.
C.
No.78 of 23rd February.
Addressed to Secretary of State for
the Colonics telegram No.78 of February 25rd repeated to Canton telegram No.19 Shanghai telegram No.33 Tokyo telogram
No.23.
(al
(5) My telegram No.75, Canton telegrbih No.41 to me
repeated to Foreign Office telegram No.14 and Tokyo telegram No.171 to Foreign Office.
I am not in the position to comment on reasons which lead His Majesty's Ambassador in Tokyo to advise acceptance of Major General Tanaka's proposals to the Consul- General Canton but from the point of view of this Colony I consider a verbal statement by the Japanese Chief of Staff generally to the British Consul General Canton would
entirely fail to meet the case.
This view is the more strongly held on the following ground: (a) the grossly false description of this outrage promulgated by the Japanese authorities at Tokyo and broadcast last night by British Broadcasting Corporation is obviously a misrepresentation of the affair
I trust that it will be in the eyes of the world. contradicted at once through the Corporation.
Apart from
false statement of facts concerning the attack no apology had been offered in Hong Kong by any competent Japanese official until 10 a.m. this morning when the Japanese Consul offered regrets of the Japanese Goverment to the Colonial Secretary who replied that the statement was noted and a further reply would follow in due course.
(b)