The demands which the Shanghai Municipal Council received from the Japanese military authorities after the bombing incident during the Japanese "victory" parade on December 3, were raised in the House of Commons to-day by LinCmar, i. 2 Fletcher, Labour member for, the Nuneaton division of Warwickshire, a written reply Mr. Anthony Eden, the Foreign Secretary, said he was Informed that on December 39 Japanese representative handed the Commissioner of the Shanghai Japan's Envoy Apologizes) nz" {unicipal Police a me Japutese miliary giatement indicat-to Britain thorities reserved the right to take Independent action in the Settlement London, Dec. 14. without previous notice to the Coun-'The Japanese Ambassador, Me, cil if the situation rendered it neces-'Shigeru Yoshida, called on Mr. sary.
The Council referred the matter, to Asiinng Walon, See Kocsien Sacro: the Consular Body, who, Mr. Eden tary, to-day and apologized for understood, were now communicating the attacks on British ships on the Yangtze, "The Japanese Gov. with the Japanese authorities.
ernment, the Ambassador added, International Action was not' yet in full possession of the facts and was actively press-It-Cmdr. Fletcher asked through ing enquiries—Reuter. what channel His Majesty's Government communicated with the Shang-hal Municipal Council in regard to and "that the persons responsible the action they considered the Coun-would be punished on the conclusion cil. should take concerning the de-lof investigations now in progress. mands formulated and the action The British" men-of-war, H.MS, taken by the Japanese muitary aus Ladybird, Bee, Cricket and Scarab, thorities the Note said, "were subjected to In another written reply the For-gunfire and serial bombing by eign 'Secretary declared that the Japanese forces by mistake, Gounell was an international orgaut 'The Note concluded with the ex-faction, and that any advice of the pression of hope that the incidents nature' indicated would be communtwould not affect the traditional feated to it collectively by the Con= friendship between the two nations, ular Body through the Senior Con-yulin Shanghai Conversely, it the Council desired such advice, it would people are still inclined to hold the refer to the Consular Body through view that Japan has bitten off a much the Senior Consul. bigger chunk than she can chew.
Defence of Hongkong Although it is considered probable The defence of Hongkong and th that outrages such as were recently. perpetrated on the Yangtze will be discontinued, it 1s generally believed squadron wet House of Commons yesterday when that the trend of events must more Jand more strain the tension between
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.