CO129-563-16 Sino-Japanese War- attacks on shipping 6-9-1937 - 13-11-1937 — Page 108

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2/6.

ご

COPY FOR REGISTRATION

CYPHER TELEGRAM from the officer Administering the

Government of Hong Kong to the Secretary of State for

the Colonies.

1.

107

END

Dated 6th September, 1937.

Received 11.30 a.m., 6th

September, 1937.

No. 181.

Secret.

Addressed to Secretary of State for the Colonies

No. 181 repeated to Nanking Commander-in-Chief.

Commodore is reporting to Admiralty that on

September 6th that a Japanese destroyer seized two

vessels of Chinese Maritime Customs near the Colony.

In the case of the first attack there is evidence that

although Customs vessel was outside Hong Kong territorial

waters the Japanese destroyer fired from within the waters.

I hope that Japanese Government will be requested to pay

strict attention to the Colony's sea frontier.

In my

opinion danger of incidents would be reduced if they

refrain even from exercising their right of passage through

Hong Kong waters.

?

The question of the position of vessels of the

Chinese Maritime Customs is being taken up by the local

Commissioner with the Inspector General of Customs.