70
A
other Chinese leaders, every promise of practical
support and cooperation in such an effort at this
time, but the question of obtaining a substantial
grant from His Majesty's Government for the purpose
of enabling the University to fulfil its intended
role in the Far East was under active consideration
immediately before the outbreak of war.
But events have naturally dictated the
inability of the Exchequer to accede to any appli-
cation for the grant of the necessary financial
assistance at this juncture, and it is clear that
the Colonial Government can do no more, for its own
subsidy to the University is on a heavy scale and has
been increasing and must be further increased even
for the purpose of maintaining the University's
existing functions, which fall far short of the real
purpose of serving Anglo-Chinese cultural interests.
And even if the Colonial Government's revenues had been
on a scale sufficient for the purpose, this would not
have served the purpose which is so important from the
point of view both of the Chinese leaders and also of
the richer Chinese in the Colony whose philanthropy we
should rely upon to swell the funds. That purpose
requires that the United Kingdom itself should be
associated with the policy of promoting the aim of
Hong Kong University as an Anglo-Chinese cultural
institution of the first importance.
It seems clear, therefore, that we must be
reconciled to making no progress for the present with
the actual development of the University. But there
is one possibility concerning which I should be most
grateful
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