Mr Gent.
Mr. Edgcumbe
See 51 and 57(flagged) on 62708/29, and Secretary of State's minute of 12th June, al so flagged.
52
I do not suppose the Secretary of State will want to "get up" the University's affairs very completely before seeing Mr Hornell, but a brief
account of it will be found in the Cabinet memorandum,
flagged in 52708/28. Like all such institutions it is hard up and a summary of its proposals for extension and the money required will be found in Mr Clutterbuck's minute on 9197/26.
(Sd.) S. Caine.
23.7.29
The Secretary of State agreed to see Mr Hornell, Vice Chancellor of Hong Kong University when he came to England.
Mr Hornell is certain to raise the question of the University's share in the Boxer Indemnity
balances. We have agreed to hand these (2 millions) over to the Chinese Government, and they at our
suggestion have agreed to allot to the University.
million pounds - together with £15,000 in settlement
of some outstanding debts from various Chinese
authorities in respect of the fees of students who have from time to time been sent from China to
study at the University.
There can be no chance now of obtaining anything more from the Chinese Government as far as official
action is concerned.
Mr Hornell is a very firm believer in the value of Hong Kong University to the cause of Sino-British understanding and is understood to have spent considerable private sums of his own on the University,
(Sd.) G.E.J.Gent.
23.7