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others outside ourselves who have visited Pratas, and
the former, for half a century at least, have been either British subjects or have sailed out of Hong Kong
in British registered craft.
(4)
Beyond a few Japanese and ourselves nobody
is aware of the enormous value of the Island.
(5) It is evident from the note upon the Admiralty detail Chart (No.2721) of Pratas that the Island
was and is still regarded as a "No-man's-land",
therefore the property of the man who exploits it and
resides there regularly.
(6)
It would be only a day's work for a destroyer, for example, to run down from Hongkong to Pratas
and hoist the flag up officially.
(7) By the time this reaches you the flag will
already have been flying over Pratas for at least 3
weeks. We shall preserve the original cairn and declaration.
(8)
We want the sole rights vested in us to work
the Guano, Shell and Fishery, and any Charter granted
us by the Home Government should be in our two names
collectively.
There is no fear of any complications
in
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