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reluctantly decided (on grounds both
of policy and humanity) that in the
circumstances the only possible course
to adopt was for the men to be detained
under guard in an internment camp for
the duration of the present hostilities
at the expense of the Hong Kong
Government.
Although orders about escaping,
and a warning as to the consequences of
any such attempt, had been communicated
to the prisoners, it is true that there
have been two cases in which the guard
had to use force to prevent the escape of
internees from the Ma Tau Chung Camp.
cases to which your comspondent refps)
The first of these occurred on January
the 2nd, when three of the prisoners
approached the wire encircling the camp.
Two of them threw stones at the sentry
whilst the third tried to escape by
crawling under the wire. The sentry
shouted to him, but he took no notice,
and