CO129-571-1 Sino-Japanese War- shipping 10-1-1938 - 24-12-1938 — Page 48

Copy

13 conta.

From..

Original

on 53604/38

(R) B .A.Shanghai 200.

B.A. Tokyo 170 Governor, Hong Kong.

The Commander-in-Chief,

Date.... 23rd March, 1938.

61.48

System

W/T

Code or Cypher.

I.D.

Reference Tokyo message 351 to Foreign Office. There is little practical difficulty in implementing Japanese request but by complying we are accepting principle that they have right to dictate routes to our shipping.

2. Reference to confusion with enemy shipping is meaningless as no Chinese steamship is out of port. Real reason is probably their dislike of being looked at.

Copy to: Governor, Hong Kong.

14.

1011/23.

Further messages on this subject as follows:

SECRET TELEGRAM.

To.... Foreign Office 364.

Folio No.

(R) Hong Kong 54.

(Copy to C. in C. 73) Saving Shanghai.

System Cable.

Tokyo.

From.

Date.

•

24th March, 1938

My telegram 351.

Code or G.T. Cypher.

This matter was first raised on March 18th with Naval Attache by Aide-de-Camp to Minister of Marine who quo ted specifically the case of a British ship KIANGSU which was approached by portion of Japanese fleet at anchor near Ladrone Island on March 26th. Aide-de-Camp emphasised that he was not implying that ship had no right to be where she was but feared that if merchant ship passed close to Japanese warships particularly at night or in misty weather, incident such as both countries would wish to avoid might occur (A.D.C. stated that when at anchor in these regions at night Japanese fleet showed no lights but patrol was maintained outside district).

In further discussion to-day Aide-de-Camp confirmed that route suggested in Minister for Foreign Affairs identic note 10 would keep ship clear of fleet anchorages.

I consider this approach and note contained in my telegram under reference are promoted by genuine desire to avoid disagreeable incidents and I hope if possible Japanese request may be met.

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