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fere noe in oase this matter should after all not be settled as desired
by the Secretary of State and Sir F.H. Mey, in spite of the particular
attention they so kindly gave to it.
1
Meanwhile, and after a great deal of trouble in finding a
suitable vessel, I have arranged with the Texas Company for a new cargo:
and it would be a thousand pities, indeed, if it had to be consigned
to others. True, we have been told that the Governor of Hongkong
would look with disfavor upon any other firm, say Mitsui's (the Texas
Co's agents for North China) or an American firm; as it is, however,
the former are our Allies and actually could not be vetoed, whilst the
Texas Company would, of course, be careful to select a concern of un-
doubted political status and associations.
This agency is indeed of great velue to British interest for
more than one reason, quite apart from the profit to be derived from
it:
and last but not least, all parties now concerned would cover them-
selves with opprobrium had I to tell the Texas Company that essrs.
Reiss & Co. after my strong recommendations to the Texas Company and
their recognition by the Secretary of State and the Governor of Hong-
kong only wished to have this agency on their own terms and told us
this after I arranged the matter with them, the Texas Company.
You may be interested to learn that the Texaco has leased the
Sewall shipyards (which have been idle for years) for the construction
of four 9,000 tons steamers.
With renewed apologies and thanks,
I am, dear Sir,
Yours very ruly,
جائے
aus pled
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