CO129-570-14 Sino-Japanese War- attack on fishing junk by Japanese sailors 18-5-1938 - 22-12-1938 — Page 39

XXX CONFIDENTIAL

AIR MAIL

Copies to:- The Commodore, Hong

(for Commander-i B.E. Tokyo No.21. B.E. Shanghai No.12.

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONG KONG.

18th May, 1938.

Sir,

38

Copy w/origendo to FO2

whout encllo to

100

AM

Admy

J

I have the honour to forward for your information the accompanying copies of statements and medical reports in connection with an alleged piracy, murder and rape on a Hong Kong fishing junk, registered number 291 H.W., by Japanese sailors in the vicinity of the Ladrones Islands in Chinese waters at no great distance from the waters of this Colony about 10 a.m. on the 3rd of May, 1938. Inquiries leave no doubt that this junk was built at Shaukiwan in this Colony in 1935, and that the majority of the persons on board at the time of the alleged outrage were Hong Kong-born Chinese with their fishing base at the local village of Shaukiwan.

2.

3.

This Government has received a very large number

of reports of sinkings of fishing junks in Chinese waters by Japanese agency during the recent hostilities but the brutality of the present case is beyond the ordinary.

4.

It will of course be realised that, unlike the outrage reported in my secret despatch of the 10th of

175 on 53838/10/27 November, 1937, no attempt has been made in this case to In civ w/19/A/38

sift the evidence by judicial methods.

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

MALCOLM MACDONALD, M.P.,

&C.,

&C.,

&c.