CO129-579-2 Sino-Japanese War- attack on British ship S.S. Sagres 9-4-1939 - 13-7-1939 — Page 26

- 2

26

The flag verification procedure which through

usage has come to be known as an agreement (Foreign office

387 to Tokyo October 12th 1937) and which H.M.Government

specifically stated in above telegram were "conditions

upon which H.M.Government would permit Japanese warships

(in absence of British men-of-war) to board British vessels

flying the British flag in order to verify their right to

that flag. Unless those conditions are complied with

Japanese men of war have no right to visit British Ships"

is now honoured in the breach rather than the observance.

Well known ships of whose British Nationality there can be

no possible doubt are boarded again and again on their

passages up and down the coast and often on entering and

again on leaving harbour. Documents other than certificates

of registry such as manifests, logs etc. are demanded and

often allowed by masters to be seen to avoid trouble and

further delays, masters are subjected to severe interrogations,

and cargoes inspected. In no case since beginning of

hostilities has the question of verification been referred to

one or H.. Ships by the Japanese, and in the SAGRES case a

flat refusal to allow this was made. Finally, SAGRLS was

seized on April 8th and has not yet been returned, and

LALITA has now apparently shared the same fate.

Paragraph one of Tokyo telegram 393 to Foreign Office

indicates attitude of Tokyo authorities in this matter.

I intend to take up this question with Admiral Oikawa at

Shanghai, and in the meantime, I have temporarily

strengthened the South China coast patrols.

/AS.....