COLY.
115
MEMORANDUM.
On 25th October at 2.10 p.m., a Japanese naval air
squadron sighted a torpedo-boat on the Chanchuen Channel
proceeding south at high speed. And when the squadron
approached it at a height of 200 metres for the purpose of
scouting, it was suddenly subjected to heavy machine-gun
fire.
The planes saw no mark on the torpedo-boat indicating
her nationality, but did observe that she carried two
torpedoes in addition to being equipped with a double-mounted
machine-gun of about 13 m.m. calibre. The planes therefore
returned the fire with machine-guns before proceeding to
report to our boats standing near-by.
At 2.55 p.m. another air squadron approached the
torpedo-boat at a height of 200 metres and likewise received
machine-gun fire. The squadron commander then circled low
over the boat; but perceiving nothing indicating her
nationality, he ordered two bombs to be dropped on her in
succession by the planes following. The torpedo-boat, while
being bombed, continued firing, and at the same time hoisted
the British ensign; whereupon the squadron commander dis-
continued the attack and left the spot.
when, at 3.15 p.m., one of the planes belonging to the
squadron which had taken the report to our boats returned
to the spot, the torpedo-boat had lowered the British
ensign but again opened heavy fire. And when the plane and
boats which had reached the scene made a joint attack,
badly damaging the torpedo-boat, several Chinese in plain-
clothes escaped ashore.
Since the above circumstances leave no room for doubt
that this torpedo-boat was not British, and hence that this
was a case of the Chinese making illegitimate use of the
/ British