In any further communication on this subject, please quote
No. F 1504/173/10
and address-
not to any person by name
but to-
The Under-Secretary of State,"
Foreign Office,
London, S.W.1.
RECEIVED
8 MAR 1940
147
FOREIGN Office.
I Duew
C. O. REG!
CONFIDENTIAL
S.W.1.
6th March, 1940.
Sir,
I am directed by Viscount Halifax to enclose a copy
of telegram No.332, of the 21st February, from His Majesty's
Ambassador at Tokyo on the subject of the possible release
which were
of the British ships "Sagres" and "Lalita"
captured and detained by the Japanese on the ground that they
were plying for the benefit and under the directions of the
Chinese Government.
2.
The S.S. "Sagres", which is owned by the British
firm Messrs. Williamson of Hong Kong, was captured by the
Japanese on April 8th, 1939, and at that time was under charter
to another British firm, the Douglas Shipping Company.
Repeated protests to the Japanese authorities have been made
by His Majesty's Ambassador at Tokyo and by the British naval
authorities, but the ship has not yet been released.
3. The owners of the "Sagres" are claiming Hong Kong
$1,000 a day in respect of demurrage alone and have reserved
the right to claim compensation for any damage which may
have been done to the ship herself, her stores or her equipment.
4. The S.S. "Lalita" belongs to an Indian firm, the
Dholera Steamship Company of Bombay. This ship was chartered
to the Fukien Transportation Company of Foochow and she was
captured on April 11th, 1939. She is still detained by the
Japanese authorities in spite of repeated protests from
Sir Robert Craigie and the British naval authorities. Lord
Halifax has no details of any claim for compensation in respect
of the "Lalita" nor any record of such a claim having been made.
5.
The Under-Secretary of State,
Colonial Office.