COPY.
No.102
sir,
C.O
28313
Red 21 P 15
PEKING, 1
May 3rd 1915.
539
I have the honour to forward herewith copy of a
despatch which I have received from His Majesty's Consul-
General at Shanghai on the subject of German firma in
China handling trade in British piece goods.
I am not inclined to attach much importance to the
reported opinions of Chinese dealers in regard to this
question.
The suggestion mentioned in the memorandum inclosed
in Sir E. Fraser's despatch, that German firms in China
receive subsidies from the German Government to assist
them in selling British manufactures, is one that ig
difficult to accept without more definite evidence than
I have yet received. I have accordingly written to ask
the
The Right Honourable
Sir Edward Grey, Bart., K.G., M.P.,
&c., &c., &o.,
L