Extract from Morning Lease of 22 March 1901.
Cross Examination of M. A. Chamberlain
The Resident London Director's Letter Written First.
"Do you know, in fact, that Mr. Cocking's letter to the Foreign Office was written on 14 Oct., 1898, some three weeks before the letters from Mr. Cullen?
"I did not know it."
Sir Edward Clarke: It is the fact. It is a type-written letter, signed, "A. T. Cocking."
Mr. Isaacs: So far as the Foreign Office is concerned they mentioned the fact that you were the chairman, and that is all?
"Yes"
Letter to the Colonial Office,
"Do you know that letters were written to the Colonial Office to the same effect?
"I believe one letter."
Mr. Isaacs: I have not got that letter. It is the only one that I have not been able to get possession of.
A gentleman attended on subpoena from the Colonial Office, and produced the letter from Kynochs, which was in similar terms to the other letters dictated by Mr. Cullen. The letter of introduction the Colonial Office gave to the Governor of Hong Kong was not forthcoming, because it was explained that it was a printed form, and had been sent out to Hong Kong.
Subsequently Mr. Isaacs explained, in fairness to the Colonial Office, that among the documents produced to him were minutes as to whether an ordinary printed form should be sent, and this departmental discussion ended by Sir W. Baillie Hamilton writing as a minute:-
"I don't think Mr. Chamberlain would wish to treat Messrs. Kynoch differently to any other commercial firm in a case like this."
25120/98
Extract from morning header
23 March 1901
72381
Re-examination of M. A. Chamberlain
A copy of the Colonial Office printed form issued to Mr. Huxham was then put in.
The original has been delivered in Hong Kong.
The witness said he did not learn the nature of Mr. Cullen's letters until after Mr. McKenna's speech in the House when Mr. McKenna said, in discussing "the advertisement of the Colonial Secretary's connection with Kynochs," that "the letters of introduction carried by the travellers of the firm" bore a reminder that the chairman of Kynochs was the brother of the Colonial Minister.
Page 363
POST OFFICE TELEGRAPHS.
No. of Telegram..
Charges If the accuracy of an Inland Telegram be doubted, the telegram will be repeated on payment of half the amount originally paid for its transmission, any fraction of 1d. less than 1d. being reckoned as 1d.; and if it be found that there was any error, the amount paid for repetition will be refunded. Special conditions are applicable to the repetition of Foreign Telegrams.
N.B.-This Form must accompany any inquiry made respecting this Telegram.
Page 363