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Colonial Office,
Downing Street, S.W.1.
3rd July 1940.
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Dear Gull,
Thank you for your note of the 2nd July regarding the cable that you have received from the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in respect of evacuation of British women and children from the Colony. I tried unsuccessfully to get in touch with you by telephone this afternoon to let you know our view on Mr. Dod well's protest. I should be grateful if you would now act on this letter as a reply representing the Colonial Office view.
We have had a telegram from the Officer Administering the Government of Hong Kong to say that the General and he himself met representatives of the Chamber of Commerce on the 1st July and explained the nature of the situation to them. They said that apart from some run on the Banks the Colony appeared calm.
:
The decision to put in hand the evacuation scheme was taken by His Majesty's Government as a necessary and reasonable precaution as part of their general policy and plans in the Far East. The inevitable disturbance to the British community and British interests in the Colony itself is especially a matter of regret to the Colonial Office but we are afraid that there can be no question of the decisions being reversed on that account as Mr. Dodwell's telegram requests.
E.M. Gull,Esq.
Yours sincerely,
(Sgd) G.E.J. GENT
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