In any further communication on this subject, please quote
No.
13003/79/10.
address-
not to any person by name
but to-
The Under-Secretary of State,”
Foreign Office,
London, S.W.1.
| DuPL
3
177
FOREIGN OFFICE.
S.W.1.
6th January, 1940.
44/-/39.
sir,
With reference to Colonial office letter No.
53838/34/39 of the 27th December, 1939, I am directed
by Viscount Halifax to state that he agrees with Mr.
Secretary MacDonald's view that it is not desirable at
present to make any formal protest to the Japanese
authorities regarding trade between Canton and Hong Kong in contravention of the agreement recently concluded with
them to regulate navigation on the Pearl River.
2. The Japanese Government have recently
indicated that they are contemplating the removal of some
of the restrictions on the navigation of the Pearl River
and it will be seen from the attached copy of a telegram
from Tokyo that the Japanese Army authorities in South
China stated on the 30th December that the opening of the
river had been decided upon. In view of this, Lord
Halifax considers that it may be preferable to allow the
Japanese authorities to proceed in this matter on their own
initiative rather than to press them to adopt a course
upon which they appear already to have made up their minds.
I am,
sir,
Your obedient Servant,
R.S. Howe
The Under-3ecretary of State,
Colonial office.