CO537-4998 — Page 221

18

SECRET.

Government House,

Hong Kong.

19th January, 1949. (Wednesday, morning).

Extract mly. From Mr. Paskin.

My dear Sidebotham,

I have been feeling rather guilty at not having found time to lictate some account of my, activities here before this, but my programme, almost from the moment when I arrived, has been so crowded, both "officially" and socially, that this is the first opportunity that I have had.

2.

I think, however, that I can honestly say that, short and crowded as my visit has been, it has been a most useful experience from my point of view and I think of some help to the people here in giving them a background to what they have been regarding as something of a Whitehall "flap".

3. I had a brief talk with H.E. immediately after my arrival on Thursday afternoon, and a longer session with him last Friday (14th January), and was able to give him some useful background about the anxiety which has been felt in London for the past few months, both as regards Intelligence and as regards the security forces which might be available to meet any trouble that may be brewing, not only in the Far East but also in other parts of the world.

me.

A.

I was surprised to find that my letter to H.B. enclosing our paper for the 0.0.5. had not arrived before

In fact, it (together with the envelope containing my own papers) was only brought in to him about half way through our talk on Friday. After reading that paper he told me that he agreed with it entirely except that he would have preferred to describe "threats" to this place as "possible" rather than "probable" - in the sense that they may well not eventuate. On the other hand, of course, he fully agreed that we ought to be prepared for whatever may happen hero, and he agrees that everything possible should be done to build up some sort of theatre reserve if it can possibly be achieved.

$.

Since then I have had several talks with MacIntosh, whose views were very much the same (though he made no attempt to disguise his own anxieties, not only as regards the smallness of the forces available, but the very poor state

J. B. Sidebotham, Esq., C.M.J.,

Colonial Office,

London.

Mr Trafford Smith.

has handed me thes from ffs: I thank

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Morgan 301.

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