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3.
It is further reported that on the 9th
January 1940 at about 4 a.m.
m. a number of junks off
Kit Shek, Hoi Fung district, were set on fire by
Japanese who boarded them from a motor boat.
Detailed evidence is available regarding 9 of these
junks, 6 of which were manned by natives of Hong Kong
and all of which were operated from Hong Kong fishing
bases, Shankiwan and Aberdeen, and were engaged in
catching fish for the Hong Kong markets.
4. His Majesty's Embassy are obliged to point
out that Hong Kong fishing vessels in or on their way
to or from their usual fishing grounds outside the
waters of the Colony, and cargo boats of Hong Kong
registry bound to or from the Colony on their lawful
occasions, have repeatedly been subjected to attacks
which can serve no purpose in the prosecution of the
hostilities in China and can only form part of an
attempt to destroy the fishing industry of the Colony
and to endanger its normal food supplies.
Moreover,
the Japanese Government will no doubt appreciate that
such attacks will not be conducive to better relations
either with the Government of Hong Kong or with His
Majesty's Government.
British Embassy,
Tokyo.
2nd May, 1940.
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