50.000L8-C.B:6/28
THE Ocean Steam SHIP Company Limited THE CHINA MUTUAL Steam NAVIGATION CO LTD
INDIA BUILDINGS LIMITED.
ALFRED HOLT & CO
TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS:
"ODYSSEY,"LIVERPOOL.
TELEPHONE NO 300 BANK (12 LINES).
IN YOUR REPLY PLEASE QUOTE
CONFIDENTIAL.
Dear Uncle Sidney,
This can be registered f. 24/2
India Buildings, 2
Liverpool,
20th February 1930.
-
I venture to write to you personally about the
position in Hong Kong and Malaya. We as shipowners get
to know a good deal of what goes on, and we are all very
worried at the present state of affairs.
I am sending you a copy of a letter from our agents
in China, which they have recently sent officially to the
Colonial Office, in the hope that you may read it if you have
not already done so. The criticism contained therein is very
moderate indeed, and would be amplified and strengthened by
any business man familiar with the position. It is impossible
to deny that great harm is being done to British interests in
China by the parochialism of the Hong Kong Government, and
to Ser 7. Veel particularly by the entire lack of liaison between them and
Cofey
the Legation.
After all Hong Kong's foreign policy is only
one aspect of Britain's general foreign policy towards China
and, so far as relations with China are concerned, the Minister
should either be under the Governor or vice versa. The ideal
plan would be to appoint one man to both jobs. I know Peel and
like him, but not much good will be done unless there is first