1
Cms
2
Ref.:
CO 537/1427
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
2
Ins
restrictions. Further information is given in the enclosed Terms and Conditions of supply of National Archives' leaflet. Please note that this copy is supplied subject to the National Archives' terms and conditions and that your use of it may be subject to copyright
COPY
00081
British Consulate-General,
CANTO N.
13th August, 1946.
Ref: No. 22 (1/61-11/46) (& 3 copies)
Copied to: Governor, Hong Kong, No. 68
Air Officer Commanding, Hong Kong.
TT
gir,
2
Cms
Ref.:
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
CO 537/1427
restrictions Further information is given in the enclosed Terms and Conditions of supply of National Archives' leaflet Please note that this copy is supplied subject to the National Archives' terms and conditions and that your use of it may be subject to copyright
I have the honour to report that a Mr. Willard
Branch, representing Pan American Airways, has just paid a
visit to Canton,
2.
In the course of his visit he informed me that
his company intended to fly planes to Canton, and he thought
Canton was likely to become an important air centre.
3.
I asked him why it was his company's planes
were missing out Hong Kong, and he stated that there was nothing
they would like better than to fly there but considerations of
safety made it necessary to cut out Hong Kong.
4.
His company made maximum safety a cardinal factor
in their policy, in fact in the States they had flown 40,000,000
miles without accident which was more accident-free mileage than
the railroads could claim. Landing at Kaitak with a four-engined
machine, except under the best weather conditions, could not be
counted as safe. He himself was a pilot. I informed him that
so far as I knew there had been remarkably few accidents at
Kaitak.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your Excellency's most obedient, humble servant,
His Majesty's Ambassador,
British Embassy,
Nanking.
(Signed) Ronald Hall
Consul-General.
Ins
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