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32
From JAPAN.
Decode.
Sir R. Craigie, (Tokyo).
15th January, 1958.
D.
1.20 p.m.
10411 January, 1938.
R.
10.00 a.m.
16th January, 1958.
No. 56.
(R).
0:0:0:0
Your telegram No. 581.
I have received reply of which the following is summary. On December 11th at about 3.15 p.m. Japanese destroyer
riding at anchor one and a half nautical miles to the west
south west point sighted what she took to be Chinese gunboat about three nautical miles to the south and ordered her to stop. The latter put on speed and the destroyer gave chase firing for
a short while. Though firing took place outside British
territorial waters some of the shells fell within those waters.
Since crew had abandoned the Chinese boat the destroyer drew along-
side to ascertain the facts and only then discovered it was
customs vessel. The destroyer moved off and left her there.
She did not take customs vessel in tow. It is scarcely
credible to the Japanese Government that men of Japanese navy should have landed without permission and made off with chickens.
No sailor landed in that neighbourhood at that time.
The fact that Japanese shells fell within British terri-
torial waters "in line of fire" and that, since investigation
of enemy vessel brooked no delay, British territorial waters
were entered without consent of a British authority are never-
theless regretted by the Japanese Government and those responsible have been dealt with appropriately in accordance with the law.
The Imperial navy have also sent strict instructions to their detachments in China to take adequate precautions against the recurrence of such incidents.
repeated
Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 56; to Mr. Hove and Hongkong (please pass to Commander-in-Chief as my telegram No. 21).
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