CO129-563-17 Sino-Japanese War- attacks on shipping. For extracted photographs see CN 3-12 27-9-1937 - 17-1-1938 — Page 31

[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government, and should be returned

to the Foreign Office if not required for official use.]

31

From CHINA.

Decypher. Ir. Howe. (Shanghai).

No. 775.

December 24th. 1957.

D.

(by wireless) December 24th, 1937.

R.

10.0.a.m. December 27th, 1937.

Confidential.

Seizure in Hongkong waters of Customs preventive vessels by Japanese authorities.

Inspector-General of Customs informs e confidentially that he has recently addressed a letter to the local Commissioner on the subject, expressing the disapproval of the Customs preventive craft rendering themselves conspicuous in British waters under existing conditions and issuing explicit instructions to Commissioner that such of them as are at present in Hongkong are to be completely immobilized and must not engage in any preventive work whatsoever for the time being.

Inspector-General of Customs asks me to advise you and His Majesty's Ambassador, Tokyo, in the above sense.

Addressed to Foreign Office No. 775 December 24th; repeated to Tokyo, Hongkong Saving Peking.