894.33/32
The First Secretary of the Australian Legation (Watt) to the Adviser on Political Relations (Hornbeck)70
Dear Dr. Hornbeck: When I saw the Minister71 in the hospital yesterday he suggested that I should pass on for your information the substance of a telegram dated 29th January, sent to Canberra by the Australian Minister at Tokyo and repeated to this Legation.
Sir John Latham stated that on 27th January it was reported that units of the Japanese fleet were in the Gulf of Siam and on 28th January that Japanese units were expected at Saigon. It was also rumoured that Japan would ask for bases at Camranh and Songkala, possibly as a pledge from each country for observance of the terms of mediation in the dispute between Thailand and French Indo China.
Sir John Latham added that Japanese occupation of either of these places would constitute a threat to Singapore and would be a clear breach of their undertaking to observe the status quo. It would also appear to justify a decision by the United States to send further reinforcements to their naval forces in the Far East.
The Australian Minister suggested that he should be authorized to call upon the Japanese Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs at an early date and inquire as to the truth of the above mentioned reports. If their truth should be admitted, he would then take the opportunity to protest against such Japanese action as a clear breach of the status quo declaration.
We have no information at present as to the Commonwealth Government’s reaction to this telegram, but I will let you know if any further developments occur.
Yours sincerely,