Ambassador in Tokyo) had lodged representations with Mr. Hachiro Arita (the Japanese Foreign Minister), and had been instructed to point out the danger of provocative action by local Japanese "which might lead to regrettable incidents."
Sir Robert further had drawn Mr.
Arita's attention to the serious implication of the statement made by a Japanese spokesman in Tientsin, to the effect that the questions at issue could not be settled by he handing over of the four accused men; but that the object of the blockade was to secure a much wider form of cooperation from the British authorities in China.
It was clear that if this statement represented the views of the Tokyo authorities, the Japanese were using the incident to make demands which were wider and more far-reaching than the handing over of the four men.
Such demands, the Prime Minister declared, would raise important questions of policy, in which other great Powers were concerned no less than was Great Britain, The closest touch was being maintained with the French and United States Governments.
In the meantime, the British Government was considering the situation created by the refusal of the Japanese to accept the proposal to appoint a committee of enquiry; and by their continuance of the blockade of the Concessions,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.