grateful for any comments you may have on this draft.
I hope that the doubts expressed in your letter
Case for of the 25th February as to the desirability of a
reassuring statement will be settled by paragraphs 12
and 13 of the enclosed draft. I would only add that
we were advised last year that Hong Kong would not be
able to raise money in this country on the same terms
as other Colonies because of the uncertainty which is
felt about its future. I am a little doubtful whether
H.M.G.'s blessing would help us unless it took the
form of guaranteeing a loan. But this, possibly,
I underland,
1411 involve an Act of Parliament, which would havson; this to doubt, bring forth a de
maging
me make it impossible for
ving
reassuring statement, probably of a much more
specific nature than is proposed in Appendix V to
the enclosed draft memorandum.
As regards the second point referred to in your
letter, there have been some recent developments on the
irport project. The survey party has reported that it
ould cost something of the order of £23,000,000 to
onstruct an airport on the only site available in the
eded portion of the Colony. The estimated figure for
he Deep Bay site in the New Territories is £4,000,000.
looks as though, for financial reasons alone, we shall
ve to decide in favour of the Deep Bay site, but we
all naturally want to be sure, before embarking on
penditure of that magnitude, that if the lease of the
w Territories is surrendered, continued control over
e airport will be one of the essential conditions
tached to the surrender of the lease.
a
Dalton, Cripps and Alexander will, of course, be
erested in this question, the first two from the point
view of British trade in China and the Far East, and
Guaranter
Lovex
xander from the defence aspect.
Cripps also takes
ery deep personal interest in Hong Kong. I would
e to refer the draft paper to
all altan
Ive
xander
for