(Copy). C. 18132
541
W.& C. DUNLOP
BRADFORD,
YORKS.
sir.
November 23rd, 1914.
We understand that the Governor of Hongkong has caused all German firms in that Colony to close their places of business and quit the island.
Seeing that these firms deal largely in British goode and can only be handling British manufactures now, also that they were specially excluded from the scope of the "Trading with the Enemy" proclamation, the above sudden and drastic action on the part of the Governor of Hongkong causes great hardship to British merchant shippers who have been working with German houses in Hongkong, inasmuch as many of them have large consignments in their hands, shipped principally before but also in some measure after the declaration of War, which the said German houses are not now permitted to handle or pay for, and causes grave inconvenience to all British shippers of the goods and in some cases very serious financial embarrassment.
We respectfully beg to submit that the restrictions against trading by Germans in Hongkong cause infinitely more trouble and distress to British subjects than to the German merchants who are merely debarred from paying for goods which have been shipped to them by British merchants ir fulfillment of contracts, carried out with the knowledge that in the Proclamation against "Trading with the Enemy" enemy aliens established in British territory were still permitted to trade.
That you may see your way to advise His Majesty's Government to remove these restrictions in the interest of British Traders is our object in addressing you.
The President,
The Board of Trade,
Whitehall,
London, S.W.
We are, Sir,
Your obedient Servants
(Sd) W. C. Dunlop.
I
|
1