Sub-enclosure 2 to Encl: 122
COPY
28033
10 SEP
Sir,
China Association,
Hong Kong Branch 12th August, 1899.
I beg to hand you herein transcript of a telegram which the Committee had the honour to transmit to you, through the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, by the courtesy of Sir Thomas Jackson.
The message is identical with one forwarded to the China Association London with the view of the contents being communicated to Her Majesty's Ministers at the Foreign Office.
It is a brief commentary on the present unsatisfactory position of affairs in Southern China (which is doubtless completely within your knowledge and need not be further referred to) and deals with the expediency of affording to British Shipping trading in Chinese inland waters some further measure of protection; and the desirability that the duty of providing such protection should devolve on ships of Her Majesty's Navy rather than upon those of any other Nationality.
The