Any further communication should be addressed to:-
The Secretary of the Admiralty,
London, S.W.1.
quoting" M.05951/38. "
NATIONAL
UN-FOR
DISABLED
CHEME
MEN
SECRE T.
42
Admiralty, S.W.1.
18th October,
193 8
Sir,
(34)
With reference to your letter No. 53852/38 of 4th
October, 1938, concerning the possibility of negotiating with
the Chinese Government for the extension of the present lease
of the New Territories of Hong Kong, I am commanded by My Lords
Commissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint you, for the
information of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, that it
was not their intention that this matter should be submitted to
the Committee of Imperial Defence as a question requiring their
decision, either as a matter of urgency or otherwise.
2.
My Lords desired to suggest merely that the report
of the Inter-Departmental meeting held on 26th August should be
sent, with copies of any subsequent correspondence bearing on
its conclusions, to the Committee of Imperial Defence, in order
that that body should have an opportunity of satisfying
themselves, if they so desired, that the conclusions of the
meeting were fully justified.
3.
At the same time, however, if the other Departments
concerned prefer it, My Lords would have no objection to
proceeding by way of an agreed Inter-Departmental Memorandum,
as suggested in your letter.
4.
Copies of this letter are being sent to the Foreign
Office, War Office, Air Ministry, Treasury and Board of Trade.
The Under Secretary of State,
Colonial Office,
,S.W.1.
I am, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
SAPhillips
JF