53838
[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.]
(F.6346/150/10.)
Copy on 56868/37
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16
To
CHIMA.
Code telegram to Mr. Howe (Nanking).
Foreign Office. 16th September, 1937.
No. 299,
(R).
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5.30 p.ili.
I have not yet seen Commander-in-Chief's observations on
Mr. Gage's telegram No. 189 repeated to me as Nanking telegram
No. 430 [of 9th September: marking of British merchant ships]
but since its despatch you will have seen my telegram to Tokyo
No. 301 [of 10th September].
2. You should now inform the Chinese Government that
His Majesty's Government cannot agree to instruct their
merchant vessels to adopt markings prescribed and that, while
every endeavour will be made by British ships to steer clear of Japanese vessels of war, His Majesty's Government cannot admit the legality in any circumstances of direct attacks on
British merchantmen and should hold the Chinese Government
fully responsible for any such attacks if they occurred.
You might also point cut that it is in China's own interests
not to alarm foreign shipping or to take any action which might keep them away from the Chinese coast and they should
therefore exercise the greatest care in the conduct of their
military operations.
Repeated to Peking No. 381, Commander-in-Chief and Tokyo
No. 318.
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