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Strictly Confidential.
MEMORANDUM of Interview with Wing-Commander Garnett F. Malley, Aviation Adviser to the Chinese Government, NANKING.
Wing-Commander Malley called to see me on the 16th
September, 1937, having the previous day flown from Nanking
in the Generalissimo's aeroplane.
2. Malley had come to Hongkong under instructions from
Madame Chiang-kai-Shek, who is Head of the Aviation Commission.
He had already seen the Officer Administering the Government
of Hongkong regarding the desire of the Nanking Government to
establish an aeroplane assembly plant on the border of the
Colony.
**
He informed me that the A.0.G. was telegraphing to
the Colonial Office on this matter. He urged that I should
see the 0. A. G. and point out to him the dire need of China
for this assistance, and request his favourable representation
of the matter to the Home Authorities.
4. I pointed out the difficulty of importing materials
for such a plant.
Malley's reply was an impassioned statement
that China was in desperate need, and while expecting the
friendly help of the United Kingdom was now getting a little
dubious that it would be forthcoming.
They intensely wished
the help of Great Britain rather than that of other countries,
but were now seriously thinking of throwing themselves open
to anyone
5.
French, Russian, etc.
They had appointed Jardine, Matheson & Co. receiving
and forwarding agents for the Aeronautical Commission (See
Mr. Gage's letter to Mr.Orde, 30th August, 1937) but Jardines
had let them down (Mr. J.F. Owen's letter to Wing-Commander
Malley, and Jardines' letter to the Aeronautical Commission
dated 9th September, 1937).
6. One of Malley's main objectives in coming to Hongkong
was to find other agents, or to expand Kwong Hing's office
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