CO537-2187 — Page 196

Wt. 29446/552 9/46 50m. S. & S. Ltd.

C. O.

Mr. Mayle

3/2/47

Mr.

Mr.

Mr.

Mr.

DRAFT. LETTER.

Permt. U.S. of S.

Parly. U.S. of S.

Secretary of State.

A&t. 32

аб

For the Secretary of State's signature

RT. HON. ERNEST BEVIN, M.P.,:

FOREIGN OFFICE.

:

FURTHER ACTION.

Rehüm ĥ mr

May le

C

warangs

1/28

Stet

Many thanks for your letter of the

I am certainly

28th

28th January (F.527/376/G).

anxious that the Far Eastern (Official)

Committee should proceed with their paper on

There's of course,

Hong Kong. While i quite see the advantage

deferring a final decision until we know

General Marshall's general attitude towards

(but it soona ht ha

need

China, feel that we ought not to hold up

request the Sicial Committee to hold up

further consideration of this matter why

could I imagine for this propose, assume the Official Committee.

I imagine that this

Thy some In Law for the T Committee could assume for this purpose), thạt

General Marshall's attitude would be against

our taking any action which was likely to

boost the present Chinese Government in any

way, and that if this proved to be wrong by

the time the paper reached the Cabinet

Committee, the matter could be adjusted there.

I understand that the revised paper

which has been prepared for the Official,

Committee is at present with your people for

comments. The first part of it is devoted to

making out the case for our retaining Hong

Kong. The paper then goes on first to give

reasons for an early declaration of our

intention to retain Hong Kong, and then to

discuss