CO129-579-2 Sino-Japanese War- attack on British ship S.S. Sagres 9-4-1939 - 13-7-1939 — Page 37

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to Chinese Government is not open to question. As regards

last paragraph I understand these Chinese officers were carried

by another ship of the same Company. However correct such

action may have been under International Law, I feel that

action was ill advised in the particular circumstances of the

moment.

On enquiry at Ministry of Marine yesterday Naval Attaché

was informed that grounds for detention were as follows:-

(1) Conveyance of Chinese Government salt from one

Chinese port to another.

(2)

soldiers.

Allegation that salt had been loaded by Chinese

(3) Some members of the crew were not mentioned on the

crews list,

(4) Japanese authorities suspect that ship was under

charter to Chinese Government.

Addressed to Foreign Office No. 362.

Repeated to

Shanghai No. 281, Hong Kong for Commander-in-Chief No. 56.