CO129-585-5 Sino-Japanese conflict- shipping on Pearl River 3-1-1940 - 25-8-1940 — Page 146

Pearl Kenn

With the Compliments

of the

Under Secretary

for Foreign

24

LIMITED DISTRIBUTION 138 to

Decypher: Mr. Toller, (Shanghai).

7th March, 1940.

147

14M ́

D. 5 p.m.

R. 6 p.m.

7th March, 1940.

7th March, 1940.

No. 199.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZ

Following is repetition of Canton telegram No. 25 to me

Begins:

Addressed to Embassy Shanghai telegram No. 25 March 4th. 21 My telegram No. 24.

The Japanese Consul this morning told the Commissioner of

Customs that it is proposed to reopen the Fearl River by four stages (1) steamers at present plying allowed to carry both import

and export cargo (2) increased number of sailings to be allowed

(3) reopening to junk traffic (4) customs control [? etc.] at

Whimpoa.

No dates are fixed but the Japanese Consul said that stage (1)

would be put into effect in the very near future and that

stage (4) might be reached in two months.

certainly a minimum limit.

This is almost

a

From the point of view of the British, guarantees of the re-

opening of the river would be of little benefit if Whimpoa were

excluded from customs control. As port is largely used for

military purposes the Japanese suggestion of its submission to

customs control is a great step forward.

Repeated to Governor Hongkong No. 13, Commander-in-Chief No. 6,

Tokyo No. 8. Governor please pass to Commodore for Commander-in-

chief and Chief of Intelligence Staff, Far East, Singapore.