CO129-570-11 Sino-Japanese War- Japanese attack on Chinese Maritime Customs cruiser- CHAHSING 19-1-1938 - 23-3-1938 — Page 26

M.01183/38.

sir.

Immediate

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}

26

83th January,

8

With reference to your letter No. F622/19/10, dated

19th January, 1938, I am commanded by My Lords Commissioners

of the Admiralty to inform you that They have no comments

to offer on the draft of the telegram which Mr. Secretary den

proposes to address to His Majesty's Ambassador at Tokyo

in connection with the "Chahsing" incident.

The

2. With regard to paragraph 2 of your letter, I am to atate that while it may not have been necessary to tow the

customs vessel, it is considered unlikely that she could

have been refloated without some outside agency.

"Chahsing" was beached about 11⁄2 hours before high water,

and as the tide rose only about three feet between 0900 and

1600 on the day in question (the ship was beached at 1431),

there is very little likelihood of the vessel having floated

off by reason of tidal action. Moreover, as the position

3.

where the "Chahsing" was beached is well sheltered from the

prevailing wind, it is unlikely that she was blown off shore.

The original enclosures to the despatch dated 17th

December, 1937, from the Governor of Hong Kong, which were

forwarded for Admiralty perusal, are being returned under

separate cover.

4.

office.

A copy of this letter has been sent to the Colonial

The Under Secretary of State,

Foreign Office,

S.W.1.

I am, Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

Lawson