CO129-579-2 Sino-Japanese War- attack on British ship S.S. Sagres 9-4-1939 - 13-7-1939 — Page 29

{This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government, and should be returned to the Foreign Office if not required for official use.]

38

29

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lio. 375.

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53838710.14

From JAPAN.

Sir R. Craigie (Tokyo)

3rd May, 1939.

12.43 p.m. 3rd may, 1939.

9.30 a.m. 3rd May, 1939.

(R).

(34)

Your telegram 10. 03.

I informed Vice minister for Foreign Affairs this

afternoon of further details in regard to "Sagres" case

which had come to light since my conversation with Minister

for Foreign Affairs April 22nd, and pointed out that reasons

hitherto given by naval authorities for arrest of this ship

were wholly unacceptable. Their action constituted a

definite breach of Japanese Government's assurances of non- interference with peaceful shipping given in August and

September 1937 and I again urged strongly that ship should

be released and measures taken to prevent recurrence of

such an incident.

Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs made no comment

beyond promising to expedite a re ly.

Addressed to foreign Office o. 375, repeated to

Shanghai No. 233,, Hongkong for Commander-in-Chief as No.61.