72751A/30.
4043
Downing Street,
6 October, 1939.
Dear Orde,
Robinson has shown to me your letter to him
of the 26th of September (F 4699/37/10) about the
Hong Kong-China Customs Agreement negotiations.
We see from Lampson's telegram No.543 of the
27th August that he does not share the Foreign Office
anxiety about the consequences if Hong Kong fails to
come to an immediate agreement with the Chinese Maritime
Customs and that he does not see any reason "aby suon
failure should lead to an agitation for the recovery
of the leased territories, which will probably ensue,
it comes at all, irrespective of the customs question"
We feal too that it is important to remember
that our tenure of Kowllon (see line 10 of your letter
to Robinson) is no less secure than our tenure of the
i豐
C.T. OFDE, ESQ.
island