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2.
longer term costs of housing the Archive and would in the shorter term fund temporary Visiting Fellowships in Oxford from Hong Kong and Macau, for scholars working on the history of the colonies, or for Oxford academics who wish to research in Hang Kong and Macau. Such Visiting Fellowships would, through research seminars they would offer abroad, contribute further to the institutional benefits.
A month or two back we heard from Dr Ho that another project, a Professorship of South East Asian Studies which we have been discussing with him, is not something which he wishes to take further, at least at present. The reason he gave was that he felt that he ought to be spending his money locally. We were left to infer that the same reason would lead him to abandon any intention of supporting the Hong Kong Archive project here. More recently, however, we have heard that Mr Edward Heath has been having talks in Hong Kong and has formed the impression that Dr Ho might now be willing to reconsider his stance if it became clear that Her Majesty's Government and the Governor General thought it desirable that he should support the Archive project here. If this re-thinking could extend to the Chair also, so much the better. It would be regrettable if we could not by this means encourage research and teaching in Oxford on the increasingly important world markets of the area, among which Hong Kong and Macau will continue to play a major and significant role.
I attach the April Report from the Archives Project which will give you a clearer idea of the impressive range and progress of the pilot scheme. I also attach a more detailed note of the funding required.
The Rt. Hon. Sir Geoffrey Howe, Q.C., M.P.,
Secretary of State,
Foreign and Commonwealth Office,
Downing Street,
London SW1A 2AL.