54226/46.
Downing Street, S.W.1.
5th April, 1946.
150
H
Dear Young,
i enclose a copy of a note which we received from the Foreign Office, some little time ago, I am afraid.
The author of the note is a Mr. John Keswick and, as you will see, it rel tes mainly to the post of Secretary for Chinese Affairs in Hong Kong.
Keswick was, until recently, Assistant Political Adviser to the Supreme Allied Commander, South East Asia. I understand that he has discussed this matter with sir fierce Seymour and that the latter was attracted by heswick's ideas.
The Foreign Office are in agreement with Keswick's suggestion that the Colonial Government might with advantage concern itself more with external, that is, Chinese affairs. They also agree that a Foreign Service officer with China experience should be appointed to serve in Hong Kong for this purpose. They feel, however, that such an officer should have a status independent of the Secretary of Chinese Affairs, that is to say, instead of there being a "Secretary for Chinese and External Affairs" to whose Department the Embassy representative would be attached, there should be a Secretary for Chinese Affairs and a Secretary for External Affairs, the latter being a Foreign Service officer, who would be responsible direct to the Governor and also to the Ambassador, reporting to, and corresponding with, each
SIR MARK YOUNG, G.C.M.G.
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