11
Japanese claim for special treatment seems to have
no legal basis.
Mr. Blunt thinks the Japanese demands
are reasonable.
But there seems to be no
justification whatsoever for according to the
Japanese facilities not enjoyed by any other nation
On the other
in Hong Kong, including ourselves.
hand Mr. Blunt says cannot hope to obtain any
measure of agreement from the Japanese unless this
further concession is granted. That may well be,
but there is no guarantee that the Japanese would
prove less intransigent even if this concession
were to be made. The main consideration seems to
me, however, that if Hong Kong themselves are not
prepared to grant this concession, then it will be
quite wrong to attempt to impose it upon them.
? Send duplicate to Foreign Office
and say
setting forth the above considerations;
that subject to any observations the Foreign Office
may have to offer, the S. of S. proposes to inform
the Governor that he concurs in the action he has
taken.
No.29. The Japanese are following their
usual practice of restricting shipping in Hoihow on
the elastic plea of "military operations".
of this telegram is being registered for consideration
? Put by.
on the Attack on South China file.
A. N. Galsworthy
3.3.39.
A copy
In view of their current policy, the Japanese demands are impertinent, & will, I hope, be resisted.
" as proposed-
HQlnocke
6
Monce 43.