S
YOKOHAM
18
160
DODWELL AND COMPANY LIMITED./60
Branches:
HONG KONG
CANTON · FOOCHOW
IGHAI & HANKOW CHINA
KOBE TOKIO & NAGOYA JAPAN
COLOMBO CEYLON
NEW YORK SAN FRANCISCO
LOS ANGELES
& SEATTLE · U ·S A VANCOUVER · B.C
BARRY & DODWELL LTD
CHUNGKING CHINA
CONFIDENTIAL.
Head Office
24 ST MARY AXE LONDON EC3
ہے
·
Telegrams: RECEIVED
"CELTICISM STOCK LONDON.
Telephone Nos: 27 FEB1939
AVENUE 5861 (4 LINES)
H.R.Cowell, Esq., C.M.G.,
The Colonial Office,
Dear Sir,
C. U. REGI
LONDON,
Downing Street,
S.W.
E.C. 3.
Codes Used:
SCOTT'S CODE 10TH EDITION (BENTLEY'S SECTION)
A. B. C. CODE 6TH EDITION BENTLEY'S COMPLETE PHRASE CODE BENTLEY'S SECOND PHRASE CODE
ACME CODE
UNIVERSAL TRADE CODE
BIRCHWOOD CODE
BOE CODE
LOMBARD CODE (CODE SERVICES) CALPAC CODE PRIVATE CODES
23rd February, 1939.
Annd by. 20
In confirmation of my telephone call last week, the 14th, may I put briefly on record my understanding of the situation regarding the proposal to erect an Aeroplane Factory at Hongkong.
The project was originally put forward some time in 1937, when Mr. W.D. Pawley and our Senior, Mr. Stanley H. Dodwell, had some unofficial conversations with certain members of the Government and Air Force officials on this side, but it was not till early in 1938 that H.E.The Governor of Hongkong addressed his first despatches to The Colonial Office on the subject.
It appears to have been assumed that the main, or sole, object of establishing a factory in Hongkong territory was in order to supply the Chinese Government with military aircraft. This however was by no means the idea of those who were prepared to sponsor and finance the scheme. The demand for aircraft, not only in this country but in the Dominions also, was (and still is, I understand) in excess of available sources of supply. The sponsors satisfied themselves that they would be in a position to:-
(a) Raise the requisite capital.
(b) Acquire a suitable site with the permission of
the Hongkong Government.
(c) Obtain the machinery, tools and jigs necessary
for the assembly and construction of certain well-known types of American aircraft, if not
Page 60Page 61