The British Ambassador was said to have expressed the views of his Government to the following effect:
That the boarding of the Asama wag carried out according to inter: national law, but that its procedure might have been regrettable In some phase; it was unfortunate that the method of exercising belligerent Fights caused indignation in. Japan; was desired by' Britain that the Japanese nation understand there was hie intention on the part of the Bue Ush Government to impair the pre-stage of Japan That it had been established by the British authorities that the seized Germans were technicians the operation of Diesel enj hud they reached Germany " they would certainly have been assigned fo submarine service; the British Government could not permit. Ger mans of such qualifications to return: ome, and furthermore could not hand' them over to the Japanese Government; That the British Government, as a matter of course, would be careful not to injure the prestige of Japan in the future, but the British Govern: ment could not revise its established {interpretation of international law; the British Government was pared to discuss with Japanese thorities. the question of avoiding similar incident in the future, Japanese Observations In answer to Sir Robert's remarks Mr. Arita made the following state ments recapitulated unofieally The Japanese interpretation of the London "Declaration of 1900. was different from that of Great Britain, as previously stated, Setting aside the legal side of the case, the Japanese Government and people were highly indignant because the Asama was boarded near. the Japanese coast, and this in execution a purported right of a belligerent with an interpretation of international law quite different from that of As the Japanese people held the view that seizure of the Germans aboard the Asama under the elt cumstances could not be regarded as separate question, it was advisable for the British Government to re~ move the cloud hanging over Anglo-Japanese relations by handing over the Germans to Japan, 'The Japanese Government was sidering special measures to resteiel the isstaree of tiekely. to. nationals of belligerent nations desiring to stil fon Japanese vessels, in order to pre Vent a recurrence of the Asama, cident' and to safeatiaed Japan. policy of non-intervention In the Europe war. The Japanese Government desired the ce-operation of the British Government in this respect, As no final agresinent was reacher fu' Yesterday's conversation belge Sir Robert and Mr. Arita,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.