A British flag becomes the whole case at Tsingtao

Japanese customs forces seized the British-flagged merchant ship St Vincent de Paul after she traded outside Japanese-held areas of China and brought her into Tsingtao for legal proceedings. Western governments disliked Japan's expansion in China but were reluctant to intervene directly, which made the protection attached to a national flag unusually important. HMS Birmingham arrived with supporting vessels and treated the ship's British ownership and registration as enough reason to recover her. Sub-Lieutenant Ashworth and thirteen sailors formed the armed guard. Ashworth blocked a Japanese boarding party at the gangway, kept his holstered pistol in view, and directed them to Birmingham's captain. The customs dispute became a credibility test for a navy whose Far Eastern posture depended on never appearing willing to accept an affront.