In any further communication
on this subject, please quote
No. F 8050/7455/10
and address---
not to any person by name
but to
-_www
The Under-Secretary of State,"
Foreign Office,
London, S. W.1.
Confidential.
FOREIGN OFFICE.
S.W.1.
RECEIVED
29 OCT 1937
C. O. REGY
28th October, 1937.
35
Ma
Sir,
With reference to Colonial Office communication
2 No. 53851/37 of the 5th October enclosing a copy of a secret
despatch from the Officer Administering the Government of
Hong Kong on the subject of road communication between Hong
Kong and Canton, I am directed by Mr. Secretary Eden to
request you to inform the Secretary of State for the Colonies
that he could not help but deprecate the uncompromising
attitude which appeared to have been adopted in declining the
Chinese proposals, and that it was with considerable satisfaction
(6) that he learned from Hong Kong telegram No. 248 of the 23rd
The
MAS
October that the Acting Governor has since reconsidered his
decision and is now disposed to push forward the project
without delay.
2. It is, in Mr. Eden's view, highly desirable that the
authorities in Hong Kong should guard at all times, but
especially during this period of crisis for China, against the danger of taking a narrow view of their interests and
should not lose sight of the unquestionable fact that its
prosperity and its value as a British Colony ultimately depend
entirely on securing the good-will of the Chinese: for, if
the Chinese Government were definitely antagonised or fell
under the influence or the control of a Power hostile to
British interests, Hong Kong might be completely strangled and,
taking a wide view, therefore, the interests of Hong Kong are
identical with the wider general British interests in China.
The Under-Secretary of State,
Colonial Office.
30/