CO129-585-1 Sino-Japanese conflict- attacks on shipping 25-1-1940 - 2-10-1940 — Page 119

NOTE

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p

У

VERBALE

119

My. of Foreign

Affairs No. 68

The Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs

have the honour to reply as follows to the represent-

ations contained in the British Embassy's Note Verbale

of the 7th February regarding the operations of patrol

vessels of the Imperial Navy in Hongkong waters.

1.

According to the investigations of the

Imperial Navy, a patrol vessel of the Imperial Navy

sighted two loaded junks at approximately 10 a.m. at a

point 9.3 nautical miles 110° from Waglan Lighthouse

on the 9th January, 1940 (in the British Embassy's

Note Verbale the 19th January is given but no such

incident took place on that day). When she made in the

first place to inspect one of them, the junk attempted

to escape and she therefore fired two warning rifle

shote across her bows, stopped her and inspected her.

There was no ground for suspicion against this junk,

however, apart from the fact that she was registered

in Swatow and she was accordingly released.

Warning shots were fired only at this one

vessel and the incidence of the bullets was definitely

perceived about one hundred metres in front of the

vessel and it is therefore certain that no damage

was done.

2.

During the inspection, the other junk speedily

made off in a northerly direction and the patrol vessel

accordingly pursued her to a point 6.6 nautical miles

90° from Nine Pin Group.

When she approached, she

assured herself that the junk was a fishing vessel and

she therefore let her go without interference.

It/