PARAPHRASE
TEŽEGRAM. The Governor of HongKong to the Secretary of State 379
for the Colonies.
(Received Colonial Office 6.5 p.m.10th April, 1915.)
10th April.
The HongKong General Chamber of Commerce
have sent me a letter which criticises the Japanese
demands on China in detail and asks me to represent
to His Majesty's Government the Chamber's opinion
that these demands are subáerviže of China's
sovereign rights in many respecte: they infringe the
policy of the open door and equality of opportunity:
they involve special privileges for Japanese which
are contrary to treaty rights of England and other
Powers and threaten the prosperity of HongKong and
are inimical to British interesta. I congur in
this opinion and would ask you to forward to the
proper quarter the views of the Chamber.
As a copy
of their letter has been sent to His Majesty's Minister at Peking by the Chamber, I do not propose
to telegraph their criticisms in detail but will
send them by despatch.
MAY.