London, Aug. 8.
The British Ambassador to Tokyo, Sir Robert Craigie, yesterday ladyed fa. strong protest with the Japanese Foreign Oflice against the bombing End destruction of British property in Hongkong Defence Disparaged Yokohama, Aug. 12.
"The Hongkong. defences are in such a state that it would be easy for the Japanese Navy to capture' the territory in 20 minutes" the Italian Consul-General in Hongkong, Rear-Admiral Marquis di Mehta, is alleged have told Japanese pressmen on his arrival here aboard the Taiyo Maru.
"The anti-British movement China, he is reported to have added. was steadily growing, and was having an adverse effect on the "safety Hongkong, which "he thought the British despaired of defending.
"As he had given a number of pro-'Japanese speeches in Hongkong. Mar quis di Mehta said, he was regarded '35 a somewhat "undesirable man."
The Marquis is in Japan to confer with the Taian Ambassador, Signor Giacinto Auriti, on certain important matters. the nature of which Wie fused to divulge, "He admitted, however, that he would stay in "Tokyo Indefnitely, and would be joined by the Kallan'Consul in Canion, "who will also confer with the Italian "Ambassador.
"The Consul excoriated certain powers for selling arms to General Chiang Kai-shek, and. advised a strengthening of the Anti-Comintern Pact in view of the complicated international situation—Reuter,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.