CO129-579-2 Sino-Japanese War- attack on British ship S.S. Sagres 9-4-1939 - 13-7-1939 — Page 48

In any further communication on this subject, please quote

No. F 3620/148/10.

and address-

not to any person by name

but to-

"The Under-Secretary of State,”

Foreign Office,

London, S.W.1.

FOREIGN OFFICE.

S.W.1.

18th April, 1939.

19

48

13,

-

Sir,

280Y

I am directed by Viscount Halifax to refer to

Colonial Office letter No. 53838/10H/39 of the 13th April

on the subject of the seizure of the British ship "Sagres",

and to suggest that it is preferable to await the result

of the personal approach which has been made by His

Excellency the Commander-in-Chief to Admiral Oikawa, as

reported in the Commander-in-Chief's telegram to the

12 Naval Liaison Officer at Shanghai of the 10th April and

16 the latter's reply of the 12th April, copies of which have,

it is understood, been sent to the Colonial Office by the

Admiralty.

Should this approach fail, diplomatic action

in Tokyo would appear to have advantages over representations

to the Japanese Consul-General in Hong Kong.

2. A copy of this letter is being sent to the

Admiralty.

The Under-Secretary of State,

Colonial Office.

I am,

Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

N

mald