255
Subject,
342) Buification of Central China
Railways.
Asks assurance that the Japanese: Government will not approve reported plan for unification and disregarding British interests (3) Proposal to renaine all stations
eliminating English names
(Ey Tientsin-Pukow Railway.
Requests requisite amount from
revenue to be applied to service of loans and that foreign personnel shall be enabled to carry out duties
(F) Canton-Kowloon Railway.
First Repre-
sentation.
April 29
No reply.
April 2 (Shanghai) April 29 (Tokyo)
No reply.
August 15
Present situation.
Reply similar to that in the case of the Taoching Railway. British Chief Engineer has not retained his employ- ment, and, even if he had, would not be able to function fully owing to necessity for keeping nilitary secrets.
Japanese troops seized one first-class November 21 Reply December 18 states that His
coach and five waggons belonging to the British section, which is the property of the Hong Kong Govern- ment and have only returned one waggon. Requests early return in good condition of the rest
4. Salt Administration.
Japanese Government gave an assurance on October 5, 1937, that they would do their utmost to interests in the respect British Customs and Salt Administrations (a) His Majesty's Embassy re- quested an assurance that no action would be taken or countenanced which would prejudice the service the of foreign loans secured Salt Administration
011
March 19
(b) His Majesty's Embassy also September 27 requested that arrangements should
be made for payments towards the
foreign loans of the shares due from
the occupied areas
(c) Assurances asked that North September 27
China Development Company would
not prejudice British interests in the
Salt Administration
5. Routing of International Telegrams.
note
was
Majesty's Ambassador's immediately communicated to the Japanese Consul-General at Canton and adds that considerable number of coaches belonging to the Chinese section have been taken into British territory.
(a), (b) and (c). Japanese Governmient stated October 6 that the North China Development Company were not concerned with the Salt Gabelle revenue, but no assurances have been given under (a) and no arrangements made under (b).
Official pressure exercised in Japan to December 5 No reply.
oblige senders of telegrams to use
wireless rather than cable transmis- sion, contrary to the terms of the International Telecommunications Convention to which Japan is a party, Adverse effect on British company concerned
6. Irregularities in boarding, searching
and detaining ships.
(a) Boarding and detention of 8.8.
Tungwo and s.3. Kingyuan
May 6
No
answer.
for
OIL were
The Vice-Minister Foreign Affairs addressed to His Majesty's Ambassador letter
a May 31 denying that there grounds for complaint. His Majesty's Ambassador reserved the opinion of His Majesty's Government regarding boarding, &c., for purposes other than flag verification, and in particular in
regard to unduly long detention of
s.6. Tungwo and maltreatment of a sailor.
Subject.
(b) s.s. Kaying and s.s. Chingon
;
(c) Irregularities in the proceedings of
Japanese ships
7. S.8. Sparta.
First Repre.
sentation. May 23
June 9
Greek ship, insured by British com- pany, detained at Keelung. His Majesty's Embassy support Danish Legation's request for release
March 14
BShanghai.
1. Bennett and Turner Cases.
Violence used in December 1937 and January 14
January 1938
to Superintendent
Bennett and Probationer Sergeant Turner of the Shanghai Municipal Police by members of the Japanese armed forces
2. Cotton Mills.
(a) General protest against reported
Japanese intention to take Chinese mills with substantial British interests in them
April 18
over
(b) Chun Tah Mill.
Mill operated by China Engineers, a British firm, who are prevented by Japanese military authorities from carrying on operations
(c) Pioneer Knitting Mill (Mien Who
Thread Company).
July 26
Present situation. Letter from Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs June 17 stating blank charges fired only after failure of visible signals.
No reply.
Japanese authorities refuse to recognise validity of transfer from Chinese to Greek registry. Periodic enquiry has led to no result.
In spite of eight communications having
been addressed to the
Japanese Government there has not been the slightest expression of regret about the use of violence. The House of Commons was informed on July 29 that the Japanese Government had made no advance towards a settlement. His Majesty's Ambassador again brought the matter to the attention of the Japanese Government December 9 and suggested solution on the basis of an expression of regret and an assurance of steps to prevent
recurrence.
No reply.
on
Further representations made on Sep- that not tember 20 pointing out only were troops still in the mill, but the Toyoda Spinning Company. who had no status there at all, had sent employees to evict employees of China engineers. Japanese Govern- ment have accepted the principle that the British authorities must decide on the question of British ownership: in this case the British authorities guarantee British ownership of the Inill and there is no room for any further delay in its evacuation by the Japanese.
ing the violent seizure of the mill and no action yet taken to restore it to the British company, in spite of periodic reminders to the Japanese Government.
Protest against forcible occupa- September 20 No satisfactory explanation given regard- tion of the mill by Mr. Yokoyama, acting on behalf of (Japanese) Naigai Hosiery Mill, and against continued obstruction placed by Japanese authorities in the way of operation by the British company, who have an undisputed right to operate it. (d) Sung Sing No. 7 Mill.
(i) Removal of machinery by the Japanese military from this mill, which is mortgaged to the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank
(ii) Japanese are still in occupa- tion of the mill and operations cannot be restarted
May 30
July 26
Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs informed His Majesty's Ambassador June 8 that the machinery was carried off by mistake and had been replaced. In spite of representations and reminders on September 20, November 10 and December 5, no appropriate action.
8. Miscellaneous Cases regarding illegal occupation of British Property.
In many cases Japanese forces or interests have occupied British sites, and, in spite of repeated representations, have failed either to evacuate them or to offer in payment for the use of them prices which in any way correspond to the commercial value of the sites. A number of these cases have fortunately been liquidated, but there are still many outstanding.
256
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