CO129-417 - Public Offices - 1914 — Page 307

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at Tientsin.

The German Concession there occupies a

position and river frontage which would fom a most

valuable acquisition to the Japanese, but I cannot for a

moisent conceive that Japan would, under any provocation,

mbark on such an unjustifiable proceeding as the confisca-

tion of property of this kind.

Similar apprehensions seem to have been enter-

tained at Hankow where the Germana were reported to be

contemplating the evacuation of their Concession in the

event of its possible occupation by the Japanese troops

stationed there, the number of which, it was said, was to

be largely increased. So far, there has been no corrobo-

ration sither of the increase of the Japanese garrison,

which numbers 600 men, nor of the agressive designs

attributed to Japan.

At Canton the question has cropped up in a

somewhat different foma. The German Consulate and the

bulk of the German commmity at that port are settled on

the British Concession at Shamian. From the enclosed

despatch from His Majesty's Consul-General it will be

seen that the status of German property andof

German

subjecte