139
shall be settled exclusively, as is the usual practice,
by the parties to the Agreement.
2. This Ministry cannot countenance the closure of the Chinese Telegraph Administration in Hong Kong, and in the event that the Governor of Hong Kong forcibly closes the
said Administration this Ministry can regard such an
action in no other light than a violation of the above Agreement against which in spite of its long years of existence no act of violation has been committed.
3. This Ministry can not take into consideration the question of handing over the Chinese Telegraph Administra- tion in Hong Kong to the control of the Eastern Extension Australasia and China Telegraph Company which is an
infringement of the said Agreement.
This Ministry wishes to inform the Government
of Hong Kong that Mr. Chen Ching-wen has now been directed to proceed forthwith to Hong Kong to settle the question
within the shortest time possible.
I have, etc.,
(Sd.) Illegible.
Minister of Communications.