CO129-585-5 Sino-Japanese conflict- shipping on Pearl River 3-1-1940 - 25-8-1940 — Page 173

ORIG ON 53838/52/39

ORIGINAL Dere cypher of a telegram from the Governor 173

of Hong Kong. Dated 10th November, 1939.

in the Colonial Office at

on 22.11.39.

Received

Decoded De cyphered

by

SAVING No. 1.

Addressed to Secretary of State for the Colonies

Repeated to British Ambassador

telegram No. 1 Saving.

Tokio telegram No. 1 Saving, British Ambassador Shanghai

telegram No. 1 Saving dated 10th of November.

5/53838/52/39.

Japanese Your telegram of the 7th October.

Consul General called yesterday and made the following

enquiries.

1. Would we agree to doubling number of British and

Japanese Government chartered vessels on Hong Kong Canton

?

run?

2. Would passage through Hong Kong mine field and

provision of pilot be arranged for Japanese vessels as

is the case with Japanese mine fields on Pearl River?

3. Could arrangements be made for specified kinds

of merchandise to be carried by both classes of vessel

between Hong Kong and Canton? (Present arrangement

precludes carrying merchandise).

Explaining that

merchandise in mind was such as paper and petroleum

products to Canton, Fresh food from Canton.

4.

Could permission be obtained for Japanese

Government chartered vessels to carry coal from Formosa

to Hong Kong?

5.

Would Hong Kong Government like Japanese troops

moved away from border?