+.
5RZ
NA SECRET.
Sir,
Molis forach
438
HONGKONG,
GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
22nd. February, 1915.
With reference to my Secret Despatch of the 11th. February, I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your telegram of the 16th. February which decoded was as follows:-
"Your letter of the 29th. October 356; the Swiss Minister
states that the properties of the Basel Missionary Societies in Hongkong have been sequestrated and its administration placed in the hands of a Government liquidator; deposits in the banks also sequestrated including funds for charitable purposes which will not be used in Europe. They are claiming that the sequestra- -tion is incompatible with the neutral character of the society which is inscribed in the Swiss register of commerce and has headquarters at Bale.
The Society is stated to have sent a Swiss Missionary named Ziegler to administer its property in Hongkong. Send report as soon as possible".
and to confirm my telegram of the 17th. February as follows:-
"In reply to your telegram of the 16th. February, there
is no truth in the report. No liquidator has been appointed and the Mission have themselves appointed a firm of chartered accountants to look after the
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
LEWIS HARCOURT, M.P..
&C.,
&c.,
&c...
property
To