[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government, and should be returned to the Foreign Office if not required for official use.]
FROM
CHINA.
Sir M. Lampson. (Peking).
Decypher.
May 3rd, 1929.
D.
3.40.p.m. May 3rd, 1929.
No. 398.
R. 11.35.a.m. May 3rd, 1929.
12
IMPORTANT.
Following received from Hongkong No. 8 May 1st.
Secret.
Your telegram No. 37 April 29th: Commercial Treaty.
Colonial Office has sent full text of draft en-
quiring if Hongkong can accede and, if not, what modi-
fications Hongkong considers desirable. This despatch
only reached me on April 15th and I at once coll-
sulted confidentially British members of Chamber of
Commerce and China Association. But the merchants con-
cerned are unwilling to advise without consulting their
Shanghai offices. Even on receipt of British merchants'
views I shall advise with considerable misgiving as
Chinese merchants of colony are at least as much con-
cerned. But as long as the draft remains confidential
it is impossible to allow disclosure beyond Chinese
members of Council whom I have asked to advise me. Copy
of my despatch will be sent you as soon as the draft is
settled and I trust you will not open negotiations until
you receive it.
In addition to scheme for customs bonds (Article
18) to which I return below, Chamber of Commerce desire
to explore possibility of payment of tariff duties in
Hongkong and issue of clean pass into China as is now
done...