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Inclosure 2.
.Y 400
375
COPY.
The Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce.
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„Tediode IX „K‚Ð3⁄4.A (.58)
«TEntomol aďt
To so dando Leto:mű znaxyno![
:
sir,
Hongkong, 23rd. February, 1918.
With reference to my interview with you this morning, I bave the honour to inform you that the Confidenti-
al Reports upon "The Probable Position of British Trade in
the Far East after the War", and upon "The Conditions and Prospects of British Trade in China", which were supplied by
you under confidential covers dated the 21st, and 30th.
November last respectively, have been treated by this Chamber
absolutely confidentially. Only Members of the Committee of
the Chamber having seen them.
The Reports are as a matter of fact attached
to the serrespondence and filed under lock and key in the
Chamber's cabinet set apart for confidential information, and in no way open to Members of the Chamber. The impression
that these becks may be seen in the Chamber's Library has no
doubt been gathered from the wrding of my letter of the 11th. December last to the Comptroller General, Department of
Commercial Intelligence wherein the stereotyped phrase the Reports have been placed in the Library of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce is made use of in an applica -tien asking that twelve copies of the Reports may be suppli- -ed to the Chamber for confidential distribution among
Members of the Committee.
·
A
I endose copy of my letter No. 454 to the Department of Commercial Intelligence, which no doubt eT- -plains how the matter has come to the knowledge of the Secretary of State for the Oslonies.
I regret that any misapprehension has arisen, and beg again to assure you that the Reports are under
confidential