ess
230
conclusion, I beg to state that I an fully in accord with
the more general reasons which you, Sir, have put forward
in your reply to the Colonial Office for considering the
Present moment inopportune for approaching the Chinese
Government on the subject.
The strength of the "sovereign rights" feeling now,
as you say, prevailing throughout China, has never been
shown so clearly as it was in Canton in regard to the pro-
posal to delimit the frontiers of the neighbouring Colony
of Macao, and there is no reason to believe that proposals
in regard to delimiting the frontiers of Hongkong, how-
ever just and harmless, would meet with a better reception
at the hands of the Self Government and other kindre
Focieties in Canton, whose enmity it is certainly not ad-
visable in the interests of "ritish trade generally and
of Hongkong trade in particular to stir up.
I would further submit that, as regards the Central
Government, it would not be advisable to submit to them
the proposals for the delimitation of this boundary at a
moment when we are virtually refusing their proposal to
delimit
U