F 1754/37/10.
138
April
S.W.1.
/30
Sir M. Lampson.
No.
Subl
agreent
16
Subst
ah
Your telegram No. 154 (of March 27th;
Hongkong Customs Agreement),
1. I agree that if the Agreement is desirable
on its merits it should be accepted with ut
any attempt to bargain for something in return.
In my letter to Colonial office of January 18th
(enclosure in Foreign Office despatch to
Peking No. 89) I set out certain considerations
of high policy, in addition to those affecting
the immediate interests of Hongkong, on which
it seemed to me that the final decision sh uld
be based.
2. It seems premature to consider whether
the agreement might pave the way for a future
political union, but a desire for such union
on both sides would be necessary to bring it
about.
3. I agree that it is undesirable to
become involved in any discussion of details
with the Chinese Government before Sir
William Peel has reached Hongkong and a
final