CO129-570-11 Sino-Japanese War- Japanese attack on Chinese Maritime Customs cruiser- CHAHSING 19-1-1938 - 23-3-1938 — Page 2

C.I.D.

S

1.

19.1.38

F.O. no F 622/19/10

Rej (102)

O

53858/10/37 trans

trans craft

craft ld. 66

2

Tokyo

1

conson.

(See 96 on 53838/10/37).

(92 on above

file).

This the

Japanese do not deny.

The facts of the attack on the Chinese

customs vessel have been fully reported to us in a

despatch from Hong Kong. We have also received a

copy of the telegram to Tokyo instructing the

Ambassador to protest to the Japanese Government.

The Japanese reply to our note seems to me

Whether or not the Chinese

clearly unsatisfactory.

vessel was taken in tow by the Japanese warship

seems to me to be immaterial. The essential fact is

that an attack was made on it while in British

territorial waters and that a capture was subsequently

made in those waters (i.e. the boat either

moved off under her own steam, or was towed off under

the Japanese flag). The fact that sailors from the

Japanese vessel landed in Hong Kong territory is

denied by the Japanese Govt. There is also an unpleas-

ant ring about the statement that "investigation of

the enemy vessel brooked no delay".

The Japanese apologise for the incident,

however, and state that those responsible have been

dealt with appropriately in accordance with the law.

The F.O. draft telegram takes note of this and refers

to two points not covered in the Japanese reply,

namely, that the Chinese vessel moved off flying the

Japanese flag and that H.M.G. remain in no doubt that

Japanese sailors did in fact land in Hong Kong

territory.

Latharent

They also refer to theure of the

Japanese Govt. to inform their naval authorities of

declared

their policy in regard to the customs administration.

I see no objection to the terms of the draft,

I venture to suggest that it might have made more of

though

the