you would also tell us whether, if the
ultimate decision were to be that we should
not go either to Court or arbitration, you
would favour a compromise solution (and,
if so, which of the several which have been
suggested) or whether you would favour the
letting
alternative of letter sleeping dogs lie and
doing nothing at all, a possible course which,
if you remember, was discussed when you and
Stevenson came to see us in September and
was again referred to at our meeting on the
26th October.
(287)
5. We have not yet had a reply from the
Governor to Puskin's telegram No. 1115 of the
(294)
30th October, but it is not essential
to wait for this. It seems to us that we should
now inform the Governor of the ultimate
decision about the International Court or arbitration
(it is not yet taken of course, but for the
purpose of considering our future course of action,
we can perhaps assume that it will be against
going to Court or arbitration), at the same time
giving him an indication of our views as to
the remaining choices open to us,
6. We realise that it is perhaps impossible
to formulate a view on this question in the
present uncertain state of affairs in China and,
if indeed you feel this is so, you will no doubt
and
tell us the present state of affairs (which
is in fact a state of doing nothing) will continue
for the time being (unless the Chinese think otherwise!).
But