Copy to Hong Kong-
2
12uph.
temper
In
any further communication
on this subject, please quote
F 7203/4880/10.
and address
not to any person by name
but to-
The Under-Secretary of State,"
Foreign Office,
London, S.W.1.
CONFIDENTIAL.
6 Spares
RECLIN
13 OCT i/ C. O. RECY
FOREIGN OFFICE.
S.W.1.
11th October 1937.
45
Sir,
2.
I am directed by Mr. Secretary Eden to transmit to
you herewith, for your information, copies of a memorandum,
drawn up in this department, on the subject of claims
arising out of the present hostilities in China, which has
already been circulated to Chambers of Commerce, the
Federation of British Industries and the China Association.
On 24th September a further communication was sent
to the recipients of the memorandum, pointing out that Mr.
den's attention had been drawn to an article in the
"Manchester Guardian" of 22nd September reporting a meeting
of the London Chamber of Commerce and mentioning a Foreign
Office memorandum which was characterised as "unhopeful".
They were reminded that the memorandum was sent to
them for the confidential information of their members. They
were told that there are evident objections to its contents
or character becoming known to the Japanese or Chinese
Governments whose attitude to the payment of claims might be
prejudiced thereby, and the hope expressed that in the
interests of possible claimants every precaution would be
taken to prevent the contents or trend of the memorandum
from becoming known outside the circles for whose information
it was drawn up.
3.
4. A further communication was sent to the recipients of
the memorandum on 2nd October informing them that His Majesty's
Ambassador/
The Under-Secretary of State,
Colonial Office.