(1512/45/67) IMMEDIATE
CONFIDENTIAL
BRITISH MABASSY,
TOKYO.
18 August, 1967
ory! fleed,
Water for Hong Kong
43
RECEIVED IN LAR: LIVES N~.31
2 AUG 1967
EDITI
Hong Kong telegram number 1138 of 9 August to the Commonwealth office, repoated to us and to some other posts, asked us to try to obtain discreetly some techmical information about water which might be supplied by tanker from Japen if the serious Hong Kong
Please be assured that water shortage continued unalleviated.
we stand ready to help us beut we can over this.
2.
There was fairly extensive correspondence between your pre-
In October, decessor and ourselves in late 1963 and early 1964. 1963, Ir....T. Trenerry, in the capacity of Hong Kong Government General Agent, spent a fortnight or so in Japan looking into the
After his.departure we possibilities of obtaining wat or here.
It appeared then continued to pursue enquiries for some time. that the most likely sources of supply were the following:
(a) The Kyushu Oil Company's Terminal at Tsurusaki, near Deppu. This was suggested by B.P.Ltd. rather late in the day; they offered to arrange an introduction to the Kyushu Cil Company, with whom they had, and still have, close working and financial
At arrangements, in order to study the feasibility of supply. the time it was suggested that water might be supplied at 100 per metric ton f.o.b., the Oil Company supplying pipes, etc.
(b) The Maruzen Oil Company's Terminal at Matsuyama in Shikoku. Mr. Trenerry thought that this was the most promising source of supply, but after some delay the Company said that they could not offer the use of their facilities because lengthy dredging opera-
These presumably will have been tions were about to take place. completed long ago. In this case too B.P.Ltd. acted as inter-
mediaries.
(c) Kobe City. 10,000 tons of water per day were available but a special largo diameter pipeline would have had to be laid at
Water was offered a cost of 424,000 and a delay of 2 months. tentatively at 160 por ton.
(d) Shell Terminal at Yokkaichi. explored far.
This possibility was not
/3. Since
T...A. Mliott, Esq.,
Political Adviser,
Hong Kong.
F
LAST
REL
CONFIDENTIAL
20
RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No. 63
29 AUG 1967
HWA 18/42