7
!
18/1/1915
-2-
H.M. Undersecretary of State
for the Colonies
469
ject in the employ of that firm, who is thus the only person in
Hongkong possessing the necessary practical experience to carry
it on. It is also for this reason that Mr.Schluter was chosen
as an assistant to the Liquidators of the Hongkong firm, and in ·
view of his experience we should like to appoint him our Attor- !
ney to continue and further develop the business for the Texas :
Oil Co. and ourselves.
Now, as generally happens in the case of a business
of such importance and value, an American firm is at the present
time trying to get control of it, by prevailing upon the Texas
Co. to cancel the contract made with ua. We very much fear
therefore that the agency will be lost to us and the London
money market, unless we are in a position to act quickly and to
inform the Texas Co. definitely that our proposal to appoint
Mr.Hakon Schluter will be approved by the Hongkong Authorities.
As any proposal of this kind must have the formal
Banction of His Excellency the Governor of Hongkong which would
entail delay, endangering our retention of the business, we ven-
ture to ask your kind assistance in this dilemma. We should
like to know whether, having considered the particulars we would
lay before you, you would be good enough to support our proposal
in regard to the transfer of the business to our attorney.
In conclusion, we may mention that the present stock
of oil in Hongkong (and Canton) consists of about 100,000 cases
valued at about £ 25,000 and that we are making arrangements
İ