[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government, and should be returned
to the Foreign Office if not required for official use.]
bo
72
Refu
From CHINA.
Decode.
Mr. Phillips (Shanghai).
September 28th 1957.
D.
Wireless.
September 28th 1937.
P.
10.0 p.m.
September 26th 1957.
No. 68.
(3).
سلا
Addressed to Nanking No. 82.
Foreign Office telegram No.302 to Nanking.
I discussed question further with Command r-in-Chief and Major General and they are sending report on military
situation.
ie feel however that while our general attitude must
continue to be one of discouraging the return of women and
children, that since numbers are coming back by non-British
ships especially from Hongkong and Japan, it would be unfair
to British shipping and cause considerable hardship in certain
cases if restrictions are maintained rigidly. oreover the
position of this and other consulates concerned becomes daily
more difficult on this account.
I propose therefore with your approval to set up a
committee to register particulars of all British women and
children ordinarily resident here now in northern ports, Japan
or Hongkong with a view to arranging priority of return as
and when conditions improve sufficiently and to consider
applications for special permit to return on the ground of
health or for other exceptionally urgent reasons. It is
estimated that unless special arrangements are made it would
take several weeks before all could be brought back when
restrictions