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A
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SECRET.
From:-
sir,
To:-
33235
265
Mcce
The General Officer Commanding 8:314 OCT ||
South China Command.
The Secretary, Army Council, War Office.
London. S.W.
Headquarters,
Hongkong.
1st September, 1911.
In confirmation and continuation of my telegram No. 187 of today, I have the honour to forward copy of a telegram "en clair" and copies of correspondence which passed between me and His Excellency the Governor of Hongkong and which led to the despatch of the telegram under reference.
I believe that the practice of unrestricted sale by the Government of sites within the Colony to aliens has always existed. In my opinion this practice is liable to lead to results fraught with danger to the defence. Morebespecially is this the case in my opinion where the purchasers are Japanese.
Japan, with a predominant fleet in the Pacific, situated at no great distance from Hongkong, with dependencies in the Pescadores and Formosa still nearer to ths Cology, and with universal service, stands, it seems to me in a different position with regard to such questions from that in which any European nation does. The extracts from the National Review (attached to my letter of 25th August to His Excellency the Governor), seem to me to accentuate the aase. The present Treaty lasts for ten years and may or may not be renewend at the close of that
time