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Paraphrase telegram to Mr. Alston (Tokio).
Foreign Office, February 21st, 1920. 6 p.m. No. 60.
VERY CONFIDENTIAL.
With reference to your telegram of December 28th No. 519.
It is thought undesirable by Admiralty that islands on the route between Hongkong and Singapore should be annexed by Japan.
They point out that Chinese Admiral on June 6th 1909 hoisted Chinese ensign on Duncan Island; and suggest that China be encouraged to exert her sovereighty over the islands.
I shall be glad if you will endeavour to ascertain whether anything further has happened and inform me of your views by telegraph, repeating telegrams to Peking for Sir John Jordan's observations as to what China can do.