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considerations namely possible blockade of Canton River,
interference with Chinese section of Canton-Kowloon railway
and even effective blockade if Hong Kong following formal
declaration of war. But if the above is accepted there
appears no good reason to forbidding British merchants from
accepting orders which will ctherwise only go to foreign
competitors.
I venture
further the opinion that re-armement of
China after the present Ecvtilities is a vitally important
question for international consideration but can hardly be
greatly affected by consignments now under consideration,