In any further communication
on the subject, please quote
No.35618/F.
nud ldren—
The Under-Secpatary of State,
Foreign Office,
London.
зе
11127
REC [REGS 7 MAR 16
March
FOREIGN OFFICE 122
ما
,1916.
Bir:-
Gov
With reference to your letter 5668/15/16 of
February 23rd, 1916, covering a copy of a despatch from the Governor of Hongkong regarding the imposition of a Salt Tax in Hongkong, and asking that the Portuguese Minister be approached with the object of moving the Government of Portugal to limit the next letting of the
salt monopoly at Macao to annual or at any rate
biennial periods, I am directed by Secretary Sir
E. Grey to request that you will supply him with
further information as to the benefits which it is
calculated will accrue to the Chinese Salt Administra-
tion and to the Governments of Hongkong and of Macao
through the proposed curtailment of the Macao salt
monopoly periods, the probable effect of which is not
explained in Sir H. May's despatch of the 29th December
last. Without such information it may be difficult
to convince the Portuguese Government as to the
advantage to be derived from action in the sense
desired.
e Under secretary of State,
Colonial Office.
I am "
sir,
Your most obedient,
humble Servant,
Wrangler
1