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2.
answer to (b) is in the negative can we deport persons to Hongkong? (Te know Japanese will certainly not concur in persons being deported and I doubt whether any British ship would be willing to receive them for transportation to Hongkong owing to risk involved.
4. To make matters perfectly clear I desire authority to deal with all persons already arrested, except the original five internees, at my discretion within limits of proposals made by
me.
5. I do not think it is the wish of Japanese authorities
That they to institute a reign of terror in the concession. want is to eradicate all persons who are committing overt acts against them and who are connected with anti-Japanese organisa- tions. Persons residing in our concession have no moral right to expect us to enable them to escape the natural consequences of their acts or associations especially if those acts or associations are of a criminal nature.
6. If Chinese Government were in control in Tientsin, being a member of a terrorist gang, being in unlawful possession of arms, issuing of pamphlets etc., likely to lead to a breach would all be criminal acts. If my understanding of the law is correct (see paragraph 2) have we any legal right to intervene between court established by de facto authorities and men who commit these acts in area which those authorities effect control.
7. I would appreciate an authoritative statement by
Your Lordship on legal points raised in this telegram.
Addressed to Foreign Office No. 183 May 19th; repeated
Shanghai 247, Tokyo 106, Governor Hongkong unnumbered, Peking Saving 67 (Shanghai, repeat to Tokyo and Governor Hongkong please pass to His Majesty's Ambassador).