Ed. (3746)
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
Registry HKK 14/8
No.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
Top Secret.
-Secret.
--Confidential.
-Restricted.
Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
In Confidence
DRAFT Semi Official letter Type 1 +
To:-
P. Gregson Esq.,
10 Downing Street,
Whitehall
From.. Mr. Barringtom
Telephone No. & Ext.
Department
Lotter
2
I am replying to your letters of the 30
6 December about the proposal for according the
prefix "Royal" to the title of the Hong Kong
Police Force and Auxillary Police Force.
I well understand your fecking that it's time we 1 find
sloppet stalling. In but am afraid that no final conclusion has
159
yet been reached in this matter.
There were
We had further
discussions on the subject with the Governor at
the end of October; and the latter has suggested
that the idea should be coupled with a proposal
that an approach should be made to a member of
the Royal Family to accept the appointment of
"Commandant General" of the two Forces in an
They are live main
honorary capacity.
The arguments in favour of
Fint
adurses
this course are twofold. The Governor feels-
that the Chinese members of the Forces, while not
entirely understanding the significance of the
prefix "Royal",would better understand and value
the feeling that a member of the Royal Family
Secondly had a personal interest in them. In addition,
it is thought that such a course could, if
necessary, serve as a reason for adopting the
prefix "Royal" in the event of an untoward
Minest
reaction to such a step from the Communist
Government in Peking. The Governor has in fact
Second
gone so far as to say that if the significant part of his proposal proves to be unacceptable, he
/would like