MINUTES.
MINUTES NOT TO BE WRITTEN ON THIS SIDE.
SECRET.
GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
HONGKONG. 3rd August, 1922.
39
Yo
46325
onclosure 1.
Enclosure 2.
Sir,
With reference to your despatch No.359 of
the 4th November, 1921, I have the honour to transmit a
copy of a telegram, dated the 12th July, in which the
Secretary of the General Post Office, London, has reported
the definite decision to close the British Post Offices in
China before the end of the year. I enclose also a copy
of a circular which was subsequently issued by Mr. S. B. C.
Ross, Postmaster General, Hongkong, to the various Postal
Agente.
2.
Shortly after the publication of this
circular Mr. Ross happened to meet a French Postal Agent from China, who is a personal friend, and, in the course of a conversation on general subjects, conducted in French, the question of the closing of the Agencies was touched upon. The French Agent expressed great admiration for British diplomacy in announcing that the Agencies would be closed when of course there was no intention of doing so. He stated that he had no orders nor was he expecting any. He went so far as to assert that the French and Japanese would not close their agencies, and that Great Britain would also retain her agencies, taking credit for her published intention to close her agencies, which she could not give
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
WINSTON CHURCHILL, M.P.,
&C..
&c..
effect