CO537-5001 — Page 104

(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