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difficulty in his telegram No.169 of the 18th of February, and has suggested that until a suitable candidate is available we should try to establish closer liaison by visits to Hong Kong of senior members of the Embassy whenever they appear desirable.
We can, from our own experience, fully appreciate your staff difficulties, but the deterioration of the internal situation in China, together with the ever-increasing importance of Hong Kong as a base for British Interests in that part of the world, and the tendency of the Canton authorities to create "incidents" on the slightest provocation, do seem to us to establish the case for à special effort to find a suitable person for this appointment now.
My Secretary of State recently said in the House of Commons, after consultation between our Departments, that action to give effect to this appointment is in hand. I very much therefore hope that you will share our views about the importance of this matter and will be able to spare an
experienced serving officer with the right outlook for this purpose. Failing that and I hope this will not come about would it be possible to suggest the names of any suitable officers who have recently retired from service in China?
Yuno
(Sgd.) T.I.K.LLOYD.