9.
103
satisfactory agreement might precipitate an agitation
for the recovery of the leased territories. I replied
on these points from Pei-tai-ho (in my telegram Number
543 of August 27th) that I thought it would be quite use-
less to consider the linking up of the Customs question
with the future of the leased territories, and that there
was not the remotest chance of striking a bargain on the
subject. An opportunity might ooour for dealing with the
matter during the next 60 years, but in the meantime it
would be most unwise to risk stirring up trouble by rais-
ing the question now. i did not think that failure to
reach an agreement would lead to an agitation for the
recovery of the leased territories, which would probably
come, if it came at all, irrespective of the Customs
question. It might lead to a certain measure of irrita-
ting Customs pressure round the Colony and thus tend to
promote ill-will between the Hongkong and Canton auther-
ities, but I doubted if there would be any serious reper-
cussion on British interests generally. I was not in
position/