CO129-571-7 Sino-Japanese War- bombardment of road from Anglo-Chinese border to Canton 9-1-1938 - 28-1-1938 — Page 12

COPY

From CHINA.

Decypher. Mr. MacKillop (Hankow).

No. 100.

HK-Carton

12

February 3rd 1938.

D.

Wireless.

February 3rd 1938.

R.

8.00 p.m.

February 3rd 1938.

Addressed to Embassy Shanghai telegram No.111

of February 3rd.

Your telegram No.146 to Vice Admiral Yangtse of

December 14th.

I think it is time to refer back to this

statement of fundamental nature of position which will

exist here in the event of a continued or resumed

Japanese advance.

In 2nd paragraph there were set forth the only

two courses which were open to safeguard British ships end

nationals here. One of these courses was however ruled

out from the first. The other is now also ruled out for it

was establishment of safety zone for ships and nationals

which should be absolutely guaranteed by Japanese army,

navy and air force. Japanese have offered not an

absolute but a conditional guarantee which in my opinion

is valueless since conditions cannot be realised by

foreign governments or nationals. Whether it is worthless

may be a matter of opinion but it is undoubtedly not an

absolute guarantee.

I venture to submit therefore that the matter

should be considered de novo. It has two aspects, that

of attack from the air at any time and that of possible

attack by the army or navy in the future.

Repeated to Foreign Office.