OUTY.
UAGENT.
208/208/23.
POREIGN OFFICE »
3.7.1.
137
22nd January, 1927.
gir,
I am directed by Secretary 3ir Austen Chamberlain to refer to the question of the proposed aerodrome site at Hongkong, which came up for consideration at the two hundred and eighteenth meeting of the Committee of Imperial Defence, held on November 25th. It was then decided to postpone
raising the matter with the Japanese and United States Goverments pending enquiries to be made from the Government of Hongkong regarding the sequisition of the necessary land. Since then, however, the question has been discussed again by the Committee of Imperial Defence, at a meeting held on January 18th, and the purchase of the site and the establish- ment of the aerodrome are now regarded as urgent in view of
recent developments in China.
2.
Sir Austen Chamberlain concurs in this view, and
is prepared to agree to the recommendations of the Committee
being carried out without prior consultation with the United
States and Japanese Governmenta.
3. He will, however, take steps forthwith to inform
these goverments that His Majesty's Government are compelled
to adopt these measures owing to the menacing situation in
China; and that while in their opinion these measures cannot
be regarded as an infringement of Artiole 19 of the washington Treaty, they desire that the other parties to that article
should be informed of the motion which they are taking.
4.1
The Secretary
of the Air Ministry.