SPY.
194376)
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Dear Sir,
616
1, 2 & 3, Oxford Court,
& 97, Cannon Street,
London, E.C. 4.
23rd November, 1918.
Co
357
REC?
RE 2 JAN 19
FAR EASTERN SECTION
I am instructed to inform you that this Chamber
has received the following cablegram from Hongkong Chamber of Commerce:.
"Government attempt control China tin by restrictions in Hongkong will probably drive growing trade worth upwards twenty million dollars per annum Canton Swatow possible Japan whose competition already very severe stop tin wined Yunnan Province now shipped via Haiphong probably revert old route overland via Nanning and West River to Canton and control be lost stop Hongkong tin trade is purely transit one which may be irrevocably post to colony if control enforced locally stop unwise our attempt control unless China. consents herself understand has not been consulted stop vitally important British Trade here. Please do utmost prevent any control China Association also telegraphing. #
2.
After consideration of the question I have been instructed to communicate with you on behalf of the members of the above Section who desire emphatically to sunport the protest made by the Hongkong merchants, in so far as recent arrangements made by the Allies will have the effect of diverting permanently from Hongkong the trade in tin.
The
It is not necessary to discuss the position in detail. No doubt there are aspects of the procedure followed hitherto which require to be dealt with on the grounds of national economy or otherwise. members, however, wish to record their strong objection in principle, to any scheme calculated to bring about diversion of trade from its ordinary channels, to the detriment of established tirus. In the case in point, the result of the proposed action may well be the lose
of