Immediately on receipt of the message the British naval authorities in Shanghai were informed by Messrs. Herlofson, Gordon and Reeves, of the seizure and a wireless message ordering H.M.S. Birmingham, lying in the harbour at Weihaiwei, to proceed with all speed to Tsingtao was despatched. The cruiser arrived in Tsingtao about an hour after the three merchant ships had entered port, a message received in Shanghai yesterday stated, and negotiations were opened immediately with the result that the British vessel was freed. On Sunday morning, escorted by the cruiser, she steamed out of Tsingtao on her way to Shanghai while the warship returned to Weihaiwei.
Although the exact nature of the charges against the three vessels was not divulged by the Japanese authorities, it is believed that the ships were seized on the suspicion that they were unloading arms and ammunition for the use of guerillas at Shayangho. These charges will be investigated today, the "North-China Daily News" was informed yesterday by a shipping official at H.M. Consulate.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.