Referring to the situation in South China, Mr. Chamberlain' said the Japanese authorities had announced that military operations would begin on June 27 against the treaty ports of Wenchow and Foochow, The Japanese Consul-General in Shanghai had sent a request to all third Power vessels, including warships, to leave these ports by noon on June 29.
"The British Consul-General in Shanghai," Mr. Chamberlain declared, "has replied pointing out that the right of British vessels to proceed to any port in China remains unaffected; and that we consider that the Japanese authorities consequently, are not entitled to exercise undue interference with the movement of British ships, or cause avoidable danger to British lives and property.
"The situation as regards the ts of merchantmen to Swatow is still obscure, and negotiations con-tine between the local British and Japanese authorities."—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.