NATIONAL
FOR O
SCHEM
DISABLED
MEN
Telephone No.: WHITEHALL 1234.
In any reply
please quote Regd. No.
S.43577.
(41)
Dear Cowell,
45.
TREASURY CHAMBERS,
WHITEHALL, S.W.1.
16th November, 1938.
We have deferred dealing with your official
request for observations on the subject of the lease of
the New Territories, Hong Kong (your 53852/38 of the
6th October) pending receipt of the views of the other
Departments concerned, and I think you can take it that,
on the question of procedure vis à vis the Committee of
Imperial Defence, we shall be prepared to fall in with
the general view, whatever it may be.
d. 46,
(47)
الله
Copy
The subject, however, gives rise to a question
of more substance which we should like to explore with
you semi-officially. The proposal to acquire the New
Territories now by a payment of £10 or £20 millions seems
to have been considered on the assumption that the United
Kingdom would meet the charge. No one seems to have
suggested that Hong Kong should pay, perhaps because the proposal arose
from suggestion wae to some extent due to a desire to find a
way of helping the Chinese Government.
A payment of
such
H.R. Cowell Esq., C.M.G.
Colonial Office.