CO129-579-8 Sino-Japanese War- shipping on Pearl River 23-6-1939 - 4-1-1940 — Page 22

(F 12803/79/10)

IDUPL.

FOREIGN OFFICE

5.7.1.

22nd December, 1939.

81

22

Dear Gent,

I enclose for convenience of reference a copy of

a telegram from Shanghai which states that the Pearl River

is being closed to navigation by the Japanese as from the

17th December. This would seem to render at least

του

temporarily inoperative the new agreement which was reported

by Clark Kerr in his telegram To. 1339 (our letter to

Galsworthy No.F 12433/79/10 of the 7th December).

will no doubt remember that this agreement was signed on

1st December and provided for one sailing a week by a

British passenger ship and two sailings a week by Japanese

Government chartered vessels in each direction between

Hong Kong and Canton.

2. It seems to us, to say the least, a little

disappointing that the Japanese should have decided to

close the Pearl River again a fortnight after the signature

G.E. J. Gent, Esq., D. S.0., 0.B.E.

of