Translation.
No.117.
sir,
Spanish Embassy,
London.
June 28, 1948.
Received in the Foreign Office June 30, 1948.
68
With reference to Your Excellency's note No. Z 388/388/ 41 of the 23rd March of this year, in which you were so good as to inform me that the Convent of San Alberto el Magno, in Hong Kong, had been returned by the British authorities to the missionaries of the Dominican Order I have the honour to inform Your Excellency that, according to information received by this Embassy from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Madrid, it appears that the Spanish Legation in the Philippines have learnt from the Prior of the Dominican Community at Rosary Hill, Hong Kong, that the said Convent of San Alberto el Magno, which on being requisitioned, was in perfect condition, as it was newly built, wus on its being returned, in a lamentable state, needing a number of important repairs and the replacement of the furniture, which represents considerable expenditure. It appears that the British authorities in Hong Kong promised to compensate the missionaries of the said community for the damage caused through the occupation of the building. Up to the present however, no compensation has been received in spite of the repeated efforts made by the missionaries in question, which have always proved fruitless.
I therefore explain the foregoing to Your Excellency in the hope that in considering the compensation which may be granted to the missionaries of the Dominican Community at Rosary Hill, complete satisfaction may be given and they may be compensated for the damage caused to the building by the occupation of the same by the British authorities and thue fulfilling the promise of compensation which the said missionaries received from the British authorities in Hong Kong sway
Thus be fulfilled.
I avail etc.,
(signed)
San Lucar
THE DUKE OF SAN LUCAR LA MAYOR.
The Rt. Hon.
Ernest Bevin, P.C., M.P.,
etc., etc., etc.