No.246
Hongkong.
52
24843
Government House, pr 14 JUL 04]
Hongkong, 6th June, 1904.
Sir,
I had the honour to send you a telegram on the 4th instant, in the words of the copy annexed, in reply to your telegraphic enquiry of the 1st instant relating to the contract of service for the South African emigrants. I sent this telegram only after assuring myself by telegram that the contract as finally amended was in Mr. Walter's hands.
2.
You will have gathered from my letter No. 223 of the 21st ultimo that copies of the lengthy and frequent telegrams on this subject were promptly communicated, as soon as clearly decoded, to Mr. Cowan at Hongkong and also later to Mr. Walter at Tientsin and His Majesty's Minister at Peking. I observed in Lord Milner's messages to me (Jov 2833) that Mr. Cowan was to communicate them to Mr. Walter.
3.
But in view of the importance of the matter, the letter of which a copy is enclosed, was sent to Mr. Walter by registered post in May, 1904.
4.
Mr. Cowan was much pressed at the time of the receipt of the telegrams referred to and if any inconvenience...
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
ALFRED LYTTELTON, K.C.,
M.P..
Rcc...
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&C..