(2/48) [16] Wt. 19126/754 50m. 7/48 C.N.Ld. 748
C. O.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
DRAFT.
FURTHER ACTION.
Permt. U.S. of S.
Parly. U.S. S.
Minister of State,
Secretary of State
Your Reference.........
The Dormant Commissi on was in fact never used
and it existence was never made public.
The precise details of such arrangements
in the special circumstances of Hong Kong
vis-a-vis the British Defence Coordinating
Committee would of course have to be worked out.
As I said above the arrangement was worked
with
goodwill and great success by both
parties concerned despite the much more
difficult constitutional set up in Ceylon.
I frankly think that such an arrangement will
relieve you of a great deal of worry since it
would have the advantage of centralising in
one Supreme Service Commander with whom you
could maintain the closest personal contact,
the defence and security issues which must
inevitably involve in one way or another
the civil administration.
Alex
I have asked Mr. Aander to take this
letter to you on my behalf, as he will be able
to give you full information as to the
considerations which have led up to all this.
I feel confident that you will be able to work
such an arrangement with success, and it will
be a great relief to me to know that you are
willing to do so, and that I shall continue to
/ have