COPY
1765/1905.
Fondosure 1.
REC!
C
44227
REG2 15 SEP 16
Colonial Secretary's Office,
Hongkong, 28th June, 1916.
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL,
Sir,
388
I am directed to transmit for the Confidential inform-
ation of the Committee of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce the enclosed copy of a letter from the China Export Import & Bank Company, Hamburg. to their branch at Kobe, Japan, on the subject of the creation in German interests of a deep water Port at Whampoa, together with copies of Memoranda on the scheme by H.B.M's Minister at Peking and H.B.M's Consul-General at Canton, and a report dated August, 1908, by Lieutenant-Commanders Walcott and Tickell, R.N. on the feasibility of creating such a Port.
There is no doubt that a little time ago before the Chinese Provincial and Central Authorities were occupied with intern- al dissensions, the project of creating a port as a rival to Hongkong had great attractions for both those authorities, and in the opinion of the Governor it is still a danger to be reckoned with.
It is for this reason that this Government loses no opportunity of pressing for the realisation of the proposed junction of the Kowloon-Canton Railway with the Canton-Hankow-Railway, and of other advantages for the Port of Hongkong which she can obtain from China.
I am, etc.,
(SD.)
Claud Severn
Colonial Secretary.
The Secretary,
Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce.