TNAG-1311-FCO40-1673-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 61

The

surprisingly frank admissions of American dependence on the British

Empire. There were also differences between the prime minister and

Mr. Eden about economic sanctions and a naval demonstration; Mr.

'Chamberlain at first opposed the attempt to interest the United

States in such action, but in January 1938, when temporarily in

charge of the Foreign Office, he was encouraged by the American reaction to the Ladybird and Panay episodes to press for naval action, and was, annoyed at the very limited American response. volume has much that is quite new to say about these developments,

and about the secret naval discussions in London on resistance to

Japan conducted by Captain Ingersoll with the Admiralty. But after

January 1938 the situation in Europe and continued American reserve necessitated an increasingly cautious handling of negotiations in Tokyo by the new British ambassador, Sir Robert Craigie, and the abandonment of any idea of a naval demonstration, although it was realized that too accommodating a tone would merely encourage Japanese arrogance and demands.

All the documents selected here for publication are available to the public in the PRO or other collections. The departments particularly interested in the volume would be, as before, Far

Eastern Department, Hong Kong Department, South East Asia Department, South Pacific Department, North American Department. The volume includes some documents from the Chancellor of the

Exchequer's papers in the Public Record Office, and from the private papers of Mr. Neville Chamberlain, Sir F. Leith-Ross, Sir R. V. Hopkins, and others.

11 May 1984

(for Professor W. N. Medlicott)