F 4218/52/10.
sir,
POREIGN OFFICE,
$.W.1.
24th May, 1939.
17
I am directed by Viscount Halifax to state that a
letter has been received from Monsieur C. 3mets, the
Secretary of the League of Nations Committee for Technical
Collaboration with China, regarding the transmission of
League of Nations telegrams from the Far East at privileged
rates.
2.
Monsieur Smets observes that when the Committee
The
had their office and base at Hong Kong it was agreed to
accord the privilege of government rates to telegrams sent
from Hong Kong on League of Nations business.
Committee have now moved their base to Hanoi and owing to
internal commercial arrangements the French Government have
been unable to grant them similar telegraphic facilities
in Indo-China.
✔
3. Lord Halifax is anxious to facilitate both the
efforts which are now being made by the League of Nationa
to reduce expenditure, and the anti-epidemic work of the
League in China which is carried out by the Committee for
Technical Collaboration with China. He will therefore be
grateful to learn the views of your company on the following
suggestion which has been put forward as a possible method
of enabling the Committee to send their telegrams to Geneva
at a reduced rate.
4. He understands that your company have withdrawn or
are about to withdraw their wireless service with Indo-China
via/
The Secretary,
Cable and Wireless Limited,
Electra House,
Victoria Embankment, W.C.2.