ZIDENTIAL.
33556
201
25 JUL 25
GOVERNMENT HOUSE.
HONGKONG. 17th June, 1925.
!
!
1-18.
Sir,
I have the honour to refer to Sir Frederick Lugard's Confidential despatch of the 22nd December, 1911, and previous correspondence on the subject of the Chinese Telegraph Office in Hongkong.
2. The presence of this Office in Hongkong has been the cause of almost incessant trouble, as may be seen from the enclosed correspondence, and it is scarcely fair to this Colony that it should be exposed to this constant friction with the Canton Authorities because of an agreement made in the year 1884, without its knowledge or consent, between the Eastern Extension Company and the Chinese Goverment, which agreement has been extended until the end
of the year 1930. As I am about to leave the Colony,
I desire to state that I fully endorse the strong objections which have been taken by my predecessors to the presence of this Chinese Office, and I would request that, when the question of the renewal of the Eastern Extension Company's agreement comes up, it may be made a condition of the approval of His Majesty's Government to any new arrangement
that the Chinese Telegraph Office is to be removed to
Chinese territory. The Eastern Extension Company is well
able to afford to pay for its landing rights in China, and
there
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
LIEUTENANT COLONEL L.C.M.S. AMERY, M.P.,
&C..
&0..
&c.