CO129-585-1 Sino-Japanese conflict- attacks on shipping 25-1-1940 - 2-10-1940 — Page 215

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Divisional Superintendent of Police, Kowloon,

Sir,

215

I submit further statements from members of the

crews of Steam Launch KWONG HING and Steam Launch SAI KUNG.

As will be seen, they all still insist that the

incident took place in Territorial Waters.

The positions pointed out separately by all

five witnesses were fixed by Mr. Cairns of the Harbour

Department on 2nd instant in No. 1 Launch, all positions

are within one mile of the Coast of New Territories.(Mr.

Cairns statement is attached).

I accompanied Mr. Cairns and the positions given

now by the KWONG HING people differ slightly from the

original statements in which they stated they were

approximately mile East of the mouth of Fung Bay.

In actual fact the new positions pointed out by

the KWONG HING Witnesses are about 1 miles south of the

positions originally given by them, the mistake was due

to their agitated condition when the incident took place

which caused them to confuse CHIL CHAU Island in Fung Bay

with Conic Island.

It will be seen that the SAI KUNG crew have

stated the incident took place off Conic Island from the

first.

On 1.3.40 I inspected Steam Launch KWONG HING

at Cheung Sha Wan.

The launch has been freshly painted, the wooden

sides of the bridge are of permanent construction, and on

these sides the Union Jack is painted.

I have seen the launch in the harbour many times

in the past 12 months.

She has always had the Union Jack painted on

both sides of the bridge and the red ensign flying aft.