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(592) Where? In Hong Kong.
Lai Pak-yau.
(611) Mr. Whyatt: What sort of a boat was it that was firing? A submarine. (612) Have you seen submarines before-anywhere I mean? Yes, I have seen sub- marines before.
(613) Where? Somewhere near that lighthouse, somewhere off Waglan light- house.
(614) And this vessel was like those submarines you had seen before? (615) Chairman: What was the colour? Green, no, grey.
Yes.
(620) Mr. Whyatt : Well now, did you notice any men aboard her when she came close to you? Yes, I saw some men on board.
(621) What sort of men? They were wearing white dress, they were in build like the Chinese, short built.
(622) You say they were like the Chinese in build, were they like the Chinese in any other respect? No other respect like Chinese than in build.
Yeung Yat-hei.
(678) Mr. Whyatt: Can you describe to us what sort of ship it was? That steamer was like a submarine.
(679) Why do you say it was like a submarine? Because I had previously seen submarines and they look exactly the same.
(680) Where have you previously seen submarines? kind of vessel going in and out of the harbour.
Chan Yat-san.
One could always see such
(754) Mr. Whyatt: What did you notice about this vessel that you describe as a steamer? This vessel had the ends, the bow and the stern curved and pointed down- wards towards the sea and there was a slight rising in the middle with a small castle.
(787) Did you notice how many guns it was carrying? Two.
(788) Did you notice if there were any men on board? Yes, more than ten men were working at a gun.
(789) What sort of men were they? Not Europeans, but what nationality other than that I cannot say. They were too far away for me to see that,
(813) Chairman : You have told us that you saw two guns on this submarine; where were they? One on the bow and the other on the stern.
(814) Did you see any marks on the submarine? Just below the middle on the hull
of the boat I saw a white line and then two dark lines.
(815) Did they run the whole length of the hull or merely round the castle? The lines were first white, middle black and the third was white-these three lines went round the castle.
(816) Did you see any flag? No, I could not see because it was so far away.
Lam Yung-shing.
(872) Chairman: Were you able to see any distinguishing marks on that sub- marine? No. I could not see very distinctly.
(873) Any flags? I could not see very clearly whether there was any flag because
I was looking after my life.
(874) What colour was the submarine?
could only see the castle.
I could not see the bull of this vessel : I
(875) What colour was that? Greyish colour.
(876) Did you see a mast? I don't think I saw a mast. I was so frightened-I
was much confused at the time.
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Ng Ying-kit.
(911) Mr. Whyatt: Whilst you were fishing that morning did you notice anything happen? A Japanese vessel attacked us.
(912) Why do you say it was a Japanese vessel ? Because the appearance of that vessel was like one of a submarine, and it is only a Japanese submarine that would attack Chinese.
(931) What colour was it? Blue colour.
(932) What shade? Light blue. (Witness points to his coat which is a bluish-grey shade).
(933) Did you notice how many guns she was carrying? Two guns.
(934) Whereabouts were they on board that vessel? One in the stern and the other in the bow.
(935) Did you notice any other colours or markings on this vessel besides this blue- grey colour? No, I did not.
(936) Did you not notice some sort of structure amidship? Yes, a sort of castle. (937) Did you notice any markings on that? No, I did not notice. (938) Or any flag? I did not see any flag, no flag.
(939) Chairman: Do you mean you did not see a flag, or there was not one? did not see a flag.
as
I
31. From that evidence alone there is no conclusive proof of the identity of the attacking vessel. All the witnesses agree in describing the vessel as a submarine, and it must be remembered that fishermen using Hong Kong as their home port have ample opportunity of seeing submarines in harbour or in the waters of the Colony. All agree generally as to the colours of the vessel and as to the presence of a conning-tower amidships, which they variously described a bridge, a castle or a fortress. Five witnesses speak to the presence of two guns on the sub- marine. Two survivors describe the crew as short men while one considers them tall. Chan Yat-san deposes that they were not Europeans while Lam Chu definitely asserts that from their features they were Japanese. He also describes the strap equipment which they were wearing. Ng Ying-kit's confident assertion that they were Japanese because Two other only a Japanese submarine would attack Chinese has no evidential value. pieces of evidence are however of value, Chan Yat-san's description of the marks round the conning-tower and Fung Kam-shing's assertion that the vessel had the Arabic figure" 7 on its side.
to
32. Did that volume of testimony stand alone it would be difficult for us to draw any exact conclusions as the identity and ownership of the attacking vessel. Fortunately, however, we have had the evidence of a British naval officer who is a submarine expert which in our opinion puts the matter beyond any real doubt. It will be sufficient for our present purpose to quote the last four questions put to him and his answers thereto.
(1420) Mr. Whyatt: I want you to assume once again that you were cruising off the South China Coast and that you saw a submarine, say light grey in colour, figure C 7 "in Arabic numerals on the hull, three bands running round the conning tower- that is to say, one white, one black, and then one white-with two guns, one forward and one abaft the conning tower, and a number of sailors on her deck who were wearing equipment either like this or that (demonstrating as to way straps would be worn): assuming that you saw all that and nothing more could you express an opinion with I should feel morally any degree of certainty as to the nationality of that submarine ? certain that that submarine was a Japanese submarine.
(1421) Chairman :
seen Have you yourself ever a Japanese submarine in these waters bearing figure No. 7? No, I have seen Japanese submarines at Kobe which were being refitted at the time, so they would not be in their right rig, so to speak.
(1422) In the Japanese Navy is there a submarine No. 7? I should imagine there would be they go by figures and they range from I 1 to 5 and 5 to 80.
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