כ.
FOREIGN OFFICE, S.W.1.
14th June, 1933.
21
104
(F 3787/248/10)
DINSIND
Dear Cowell,
E 16 JUN 1935
C.
(13)
In your letter No. 13717/1/33 of March 17th last,
you said that the Hongkong Foreshore and Sea Bed Works
Bill, which had been the subject of previous correspondence,
was being sent home by the Governor with an explanation,
for approval, before being introduced in the Legislative
Council, and you promised that the Foreign Office would be
given an opportunity of commenting on it, as redrafted.
The question has recently been brought to our notice
again by a delegation consisting of Mr. Looker, a former
Member of Parliament, and Mr. Bernard, of Matheson and
Company, who called at this department on the 7th instant
to explain the grave apprehension with which they viewed
the proposed bill. The delegation expressed their anxiety
lest it should constitute a very dangerous precedent for
the Chinese authorities, who would not be slow to take
advantage of it to adopt similar measures at Canton, Shanghai,
Hankow and elsewhere, to the great prejudice of British
interests....
H. R. Cowell, Esq., C.M.G.