In any further communication on this subject, please quote.
No.
F1540/52/10.
and address-
not to any person by name,
but to-
The Under-Secretary of State,"
Foreign Office,
London, S.W.1.
CONFIDENTIAL.
Sir,
29 MAY 1929 2. OF FI
OFFI
FOREIGN OFFICE,
173
S.W.1.
27th May, 1929.
5
(3)
(18)
in 30035/
I am directed by Secretary Sir Austen Chamberlain
to invite a reference to your letter No. 62720/29 of the
27th March, transmitting copy of a despatch dated February
7th from the Governor of Hongkong in which he states that in
certain eventualities it would become necessary for the
Hongkong Government to insist on the removal of the Chinese
Customs House from the Colony. In his despatch of August
12th, 1927, which is referred to in his present despatch,
Sir C. Clementi made a somewhat similar statement as to his
intention of suspending all activities of the Chinese
Maritime Customs in Hongkong, and requiring the removal
from Hongkong of the staff of the Foreign Inspectorate as well
as the closure of its Hongkong office. I am to express the
hope that Mr. Secretary Amery will be good enough to bring
again to Sir C. Clementi's attention Sir Austen Chamberlain's
views which were expressed on that occasion in the Foreign
Office letter No. F 8554/3/10 of the 30th November, 1927, to
the Colonial Office, and that in particular His Excellency
may be reminded of the fact that Sir,Austen Chamberlain
would deprecate any steps of this nature being taken without
full previous consultation with this department.
2.
Sir Austen Chamberlain shares Sir C. Clementi's
view as to the great importance to foreign commercial
interests in China of an honest and efficient Customs
It is, however, inevitable that in the
Administration.
The Under Secretary of State,
Colonial Office.
normal