8.
some progress has been made.
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However I think we must
resign ourselves to an ebb and flow in the tides
of criticism and compliment, which can quickly change
direction and pace and will require constant attention.
14.
I have constantly to beware of attempting
to meet criticism or pressures in the United Kingdom
of a minor or ephemeral nature by clumsy footwork
in Hong Kong.
seen locally as justified on its merits in Hong Kong's
own interest. Whenever we take steps which are
seen here as a sop to opinion 10,000 miles away, the
Government's credibility is reduced, with the dangers
which flow from this. I am sure that this point is
well taken in the Department.
Whatever action we take here must be
15.
I believe some United Kingdom attitudes to
be coloured by an unsubstantiated assumption that the
United Kingdom loses money on the Colony, because recently
it has run a trade deficit averaging about £70 m. a year.
We have put in hand detailed studies and the results
so far suggest that, even on a purely bilateral basis
the deficit, plus the cost to HM, G, of the
new garrison, is more than off set by invisibles.
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