ALL COMMUNICATIONS
TO BE ADDRESSED TO THE
CROWN AGENTS FOR THE COLONIES,
THE FOLLOWING REFERENCE AND THE
DATE OF THIS LETTER BE'NG QUOTED.
O/Misc.362/1
ELEGRAMS: CROWN, LONDON."'
TELEPHONE: VICTORIA 7730.
sir,
AGENTS
[I Dypl]
FOR THE
CROWN
COLONIES
MILLBANK,
LONDON, S.W.1..
3rd December, 1934.
8
9.11.34 & enclosures
20.11.34
23.11.34
29.11.34
C.l.
list of
1427
Onji berk. to thaurs the
bofy all to H. Kong (3)
I have the honour to enclose for such action as
the Secretary of State may consider desirable a copy of a
letter dated the 9th November, and enclosures in original,
which we have received from Messrs.A.Strauss & Company Limited
regarding differences in the analyses of Chinese tin furnished
by the Hong Kong Government Analyst and those supplied by
reputable assayers in London and New York and asking that the
matter should be taken up with the Colonial Government.
2.
We have approached the London Metal Exchange on
the subject and a copy of the correspondence is attached for
information. I may mention that we have ascertained from the
Secretary of the Exchange that the "Colonial Secretary's
office" to which reference is made in paragraph 1 of his
letter of the 23rd November, relates to Hong Kong.
3.
We presume that a reply will be furnished to
Messrs. A. Strauss & Company Limited direct and we shall
appreciate a copy of the correspondence for record purposes
in this office.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your obedient servant,
J. C. LAMANT
for Crown Agents.
2.
20 ہیں
The Under Secretary of State,
Colonial office,
S. W. 1.
СА
P
0/Misc.362/1
P
2.
COPY OF LETTER FROM MESSRS.A.STRAUSS & CO.LTD.TO CROWN AGENTS
37-39, Lime Street,
London, E. C. 3.
9th November, 1934.
9
Gentlemen,
It has been the custom in the Tin Trade to buy Chinese
No.1 Tin based on the Hong Kong Government's official analysis.
For some time past these assays have proved inaccurate,
so much so that most of our consuming friends will no longer buy
tin based on the Hong Kong assay. We have had the tin content
checked by reputable assayers, Messrs. Ledoux & Co. in New York
and Messrs. Daniel C.Griffith & Co. in London, and in practically
every instance although the Hong Kong Government's official
analysis has shown a tin content of 99% and over, it has always
turned out to be below 99%
The whole basis of the tin contract is that tin to be
of Standard quality must be 99% purity, otherwise it can be
rejected both in the London and New York markets.
We should be pleased if you could take this matter up
with the Hong Kong Government, and see that we get tin tendered
to us according to contract.
We are, etc.
A.STRAUSS & CO.LTD.,
(Signed)
Director.
P.S.
We enclose herewith an assay certificate of the
Hong Kong Government and also one made by Messrs. Daniel C.Griffith
& Co. We shall be glad if you will kindly return these papers
to us in due course.
Pa
O/Misc.362/1
Pa
2
ub
COPY OF LETTER FROM THE CROWN AGENTS TO THE SECRETARY,
THE LONDON METAL EXCHANGE
Sir,
20th November, 1934.
10
10
We understand from a firm of metal merchants
that it has been the custom in the tin trade to buy
Chinese No.1 Tin based on the Hong Kong Government's
official analysis, that for some time past the official
assays have differed from those made by reputable assayers,
both in London and New York, and that most merchants will
no longer buy tin based on the Hong Kong assay. Our
informants state that whereas the Hong Kong Government's
official analysis has shown a tin content of 99% and over,
it has always turned out to be below 99%.
We shall be obliged if you will inform us
whether similar complaints have been brought to your notice.
I am, Sir
(Signed)
10Page 11
2.1
O/Misc.362/1