"
Foreign Trade.
No. 17
c. o
32882
REC
355
H.B.M. Consulate General
May 29th, 1916.
+
sir,
REGE 12 JUL
I have the honour to report that Mr. Y. Hirata, representing Messrs. Morimura Bros. of Nagoya, Japan, called at this Consulate-General
on May 29th with a view to obtaining facilities
for the shipment of certain cargo consisting mainly of porcelain and embroideries which had
been ordered in October, 1915, by the New York
office of Messrs. Morimura Bros. from Messrs. A.
Richter, Canton. Mr. Hirata informed me that
he quite recognised that Messrs. A. Richter's
inability to ship the cargo was due to their enemy
associations and that he had accordingly cancelled
the contract with that firm and was endeavouring
to find a new purchasing agent. The cargo had been
ordered but not paid for by Messrs. A. Richter and
part of it was already packed in the godowns of
the various Chinese dealers. He proposed to pay
these dealers direct and ship the cargo to New
York either himself or, as he was only temporarily
in Canton, through an agent whom he would appoint.
Mr. Hirata inquired whether in these circumstances
the British authorities would allow the shipment
to go forward.
Granting Mr. Harata's facts I could not
see my way to giving a categoric refusal and I
The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Office,
LONDON.
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