Cypher
IN CONFIDENCE
INWARD TELEGRAM
TO THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
(The Secretary of State)
FROM HONG KONG (Sir D. Trench)
D. 9th June, 1967 R. 9th
11
10402
228A.
228)
PRIORITY
IN CONFIDENCE
No. 807
172
Anjualan HWD1/13
My telegram No, 726 paragraph 10.
Leave.
I should be glad of your instructions as to whether I should proceed on leave as planned on 16th June or defer my departure. The position as I see it is as follows.
2. Medical.
My medical advisers are strongly advising me to go if I can. Of course, a brief delay of a week or two could scarcely make any difference; but if my leave was long delayed, or has to be indefinitely postponed, I fear I shall in time lose efficiency.
3.
General Situation.
This is as indicated in my telegram No. 806 and suggests strongly that I ought to stay.
4.
Other considerations are:
(A) The situation could change radically for the better or worse before 16th June;
(B) The public probably do not realise fully the potential gravity of the present situation; and to delay my departure may lead to speculation that the situation is worsening;
(c) A long slow deterioration in the situation is quite probable if I do not go now, it might be a very long time before the timing is any more favourable;
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(D) I have I fear become some sort of symbol here culprit to the Communists, and hope of the side to our supporters. To leave just now might cause considerable loss of confidence unless careful publicity is used to give public opinion a little more time to get used to the idea. Previous announcements about my departure have been largely forgotten.
(E) The Communist press will certainly make much of my going away, and, although they would do so whenever I went, it might be more damaging at this moment.
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