Nanking, June 27, Marking the first Japanese dipiomatic demarche in Nanking in connection with the allegedly illegal firing at Japanese vessels by Chinese Customs cruisers, Mr. Motoki Matsumura, third steretary of the Emassy, to-day filed a verbal protest with: the Waichiaopu.
Acting on instructions from Tokyo, Mr, Matsumura is understood to have pointed out that Japan could not tolerate Chinese" Customs cruisers opening fire upon Japanese ships engaged in legitimate trade and me juring the latter's crews under the Dretext of curbing smuggling.
The Japanese official, it is further understood, drew the attention of the Chinese Government to the fact that the reported insults to the Japanese fag by the crews of the Customs cruisers would be regarded as slights towards the Japanese nation, regardese: of whether of not the Japanes Ship Involved was engaged in smug Another Protest in Tientsin Tichtsin, Sune 27.
Another protest aguinst the alleged attack "by a Customs preventive erulger upon the aid Maru off Chikou on June 20 was filed last night with Me. H. D. Billiard, Customs Commissioner here, by Mr. Licht Kishi, Japanese Consul.
The written protest pointed out that the firing "upon the Japanese national flag—"an object "of the nation's reverence"—demonstrated, the "lax discipline aboard the Customs preventive cruisers" and *left no Foam for excuse for these wanton acts."
Japanese authorities here said that they expected an apology for the alleged attack on the "Taiel Maru and the wounding of the members of her crew, and the payment ut compensation.
'Meanwhile H.IJ.MS. Kikw arrived fat Tangku at 8 o'clock this morning, {com the Port' Arthur Naval Station, bringing Lieut.-Cmdr. Koichi Ohnishi, start officer attached to the Station, The officer will reach here at 1 o'clock this afternoon, when he will immediately confer "with Captain Hisekaru Kubota, resident naval fiscaton by the Chinese Govern-'The vessel in Tsingtao waters' was seized on specific information, indicating the date of her departure from Dairen, nature of cargo, and probable date of arrival, etc. A Customs preventive cutter was accordingly detailed to intercept her, Dut she was warned" by flashlight signals from confederates on shore, turned, and fed, One of the cutter's motor-boats (not the parent ship) gave chase, first signalled by flash-ight and siren to the vessel to stop, and, a3 no notice was taken, a few rounds were fired in the air as a further signal for her to heave to, and, og she still failed to do s0, some hois were fired at the wheel-house and rudder, but nobody was injured. The motor-boat continued the pursult and when she drew alongside the Customs officials found the wheel lashed at midships and the below. The vessel contained quantities of sugar and artifdal silt yarn, At daybreak, it w flag was furled bamboo pele, lashed to the after Dulwarks, and 3 sailor was ordered to investigate, as the emblem could not be distinguished. When the spar was unlashed, a heavy roll caused it, with the flag, to fall overboard, and, as some sea was running, Atlempt was made to recover it Seeing that the so-culled "flag incident" was thus an accident, the Tsingtao Commissioner was instructed 10 express his regret for the occurrence to the Japanese Consul-
General.
Tt is UWkewise claimed that this vessel was not engaged in smuggling, yet she was warned by shore-signals of the approach of the Customs preventive vessel and, on being thus warned, endeavoured' to escape. Why? The charges that the Customs used dum-dum bullets and did not succour the wounded are without foundation.
Following the attack on the Tangy office, oferred to above, an official Feport has since been received that Japanese mobs have attacked the Tsingtao Customs House, which was protected by the Japanese Consular authorities. The extent of the damage is unknown. se+Sce page 9.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.