21,
(FC 10112/53)
CONFIDENTIAL 4 SECRET
Dear Mall,
FOREIGN OFFICE, S.W.1.
25th July, 1950.
Would you please refer to Trench's letter of the 30th June and to the draft telegram to Hong Kong which you sent over recently about the question of Hong Kong territorial waters?
As I explained to Anderson by telephone, we have gone into this question again and I am afraid that our considered opinion is that it would be most unwise for the Government of Hong Kong to extend police patrolling to the South West area of Hong Kong territorial waters until the amended Interpretation Ordinance, 1950, has been brought into force. If an incident should take place as a result of our patrolling this area, our position would be almost indefensible in the absence of the application of the amendment to this Ordinance.
Therefore, if patrolling is to continue in the se waters, we consider it essential that the amendment to the Ordinance should be brought into force forthwith. If this legislative act is likely to have unfavourable reactions from the Chinese particularly in the context of Korea etc., then it seems essential either to abandon the patrolling altogether in the extended area or so to limit it as to
H.P. Hall, Esq., M.B.E.,
Colonial Office.
/ensure