CO129-563-18 Sino-Japanese War- stopping of British shipping by Japanese 11-9-1937 - 29-12-1937 — Page 95

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Admiralty letter (M. 05235/37) of 11th October to the

Foreign office to the effect that in each case where a

British ship was boarded by Japanese officers for the

purpose of verifying identity, the Japanese authorities

should furnish a report stating the grounds on which their

suspicions were based. In support of this suggestion, I

am to point out that in the original communication on the

subject which Sir Robert Craigie was instructed to make to

the Japanese Government (see Foreign office telegram

No. 297 of the 9th September to Tokyo) it is made clear

that the concession as to the boarding of British ships by

the Japanese related to cases where "there was genuine

reason to suspect that the vessel is not entitled to fly

the flag". If this condition la to be maintained, it is

clearly necessary that the Japanese should make a report

to the British authorities in each case, stating the

grounds of their suspicion.

The Board presume that this matter could be taken up

when Kis Majesty's Representative replies to the points

raised by the Japanese Government as reported in his

telegrams Nos. 498 and 499.