Confidential
641
New York, May 3rd, 1916. 5
23246
Mr. Wade Gardner,
Agent, Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corporation,
REC REG 17 MAY 16!
Dear Sir:
36 Wall Street, Oity.
The Texas Company informed me yesterday that you communicated to them, by the wish of your Hongkong Office (who asked you to interview the Company) the following cable, received by you on the lat instant,viz:
"It is absolutely necessary that Tarsa Company make direct arrangements with Reiss Company for handling of cargo Ex "Tancred".
Hongkong Bank cannot accept responsibility of dealing with shipment unless it is in the hands of Reise Company.
Hongkong Government refuses port and cable facilities any agency in which Sanders Rehders are concerned,
(They) consent Reiss direct agreement Tema Company and Reiss paying Sanders Rehders return commission.
Reisa Sanders agreement positively ceasea 30th June. Interview Texas, matter urgent as shipment due this month."
You will have realized at once, upon receipt of this cable,
that the statement of your Hongkong friends
"that they cannot undertake responsibility of dealing with shipment unless it is in the hands of Reiss & Co.
+
is very unpleasant news indeed, knowing as you do, and as evidenced by the recent correspondence between us the infinite trouble I took to cause the Guaranty Trust Company to abandon its justified request to fi- nance the "Tancred" through the International Banking Corporation, in order to stand by your Bank and to safeguard British interests in general You will remember that I stipulated from the first that the Hongkong part