CO129-585-3 Sino-Japanese conflict- shipping 17-1-1940 - 13-11-1940 — Page 15

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3.

In 1939 and so far as is known the position

remains the same today - the province of Kwang tung, including

the ports of Canton and swatow, was regarded by the Japanese

authorities as a "war zone", decisions in respect of which

were taken in Tokyo, The policy decided upon in respect

of the entry of British ves els into Canton und Swatow

was that one British ship per week should be allowed to

enter with passengers, provisions and mails. In re ching

this decision the Japanese authorities ere doubtless

influenced by the desire that their military transports

should be allowed to enter Hongkong. The Blunt-kazaki

agreement of the 4th July 1939, which is regarded by the

British authorities as still governing navigation on the

Pearl kiver despite recent unilateral deètarations by the

Japanese, embodied mutual concessions on these lines, A

week later the Japanese Consul Gener: 1 in Canton circulated

to the Consular Body the letter of the 11th July 1959

of which a copy is enclosed, announcing the closure of

Swetow and the conditions on which third power vessels

would nevertheless be allowed to pay weekly visits to the

port. A similar notifiction was made a few days later

at shanghai. ..t Canton His Majesty's Consul General,

in acknowledging the receipt of the Japanese communication,

pointed out that it was inconsistent with British treaty

rights and stated that a protest would doubtless be made

by the British authorities concerned. In the event,

however, the matter was not pursued and in effect the

Japanese notification, although not constituting an "agreement" and not containing any mention of the reciprocal

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