CO885-24 — Page 89

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

· Reference :----

mimimmimiCO. 885

24 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGR” -NOT TO

164

HONG KONG.

(b) All goods due to arrive to be placed on arrival in possession of one of the

above banks.

(c) No goods to be delivered by the banks except for cash; the firma con- cerned to undertake to pay into one of the above banks to a special account all moneys received by them in respect of goods already delivered or on any other account: the banks to undertake to retain all such moneys and also all moneys received by them in respect of deliveries of goods, except so far as such moneys may be necessary for the purpose of dis- charging the firms' liabilities to the banks in question, and not to pay out any of the moneys above referred to to anyone without the authority of the Government.

(d) The banks to be deemed to have the authority of the Government to allow the said firms money to meet current expenses and to enable these arrangements to be carried out, but not in order to enable any new busi- ness to be done: the banks to use their discretion in this matter and to refer to the Government in any serious case of doubt.

(e) No goods to be returned to the said firms without the authority of the

Government.

The Government will be prepared to authorise payments in discharge of indebtedness to British, allied, and neutral firms and banks, if satisfied of bond fides.

(g) No money to be remitted directly or indirectly to German or Austro-

Hungarian territory or ships.

(4) No authority to be given by any of the said firms, whether legally bind- ing or not, for the purpose of enabling any person or authority in Ger- man or Austro-Hungarian territory, or on board German or Austro- Hungarian ships, to treat any of the goods or moneys herein referred to as security, whether legal or otherwise, for any advances made or received or hereafter to be made or received.

(1) In case of any question arising as to whether any particular thing would be authorized under this permission, reference to be made to the Government before any action is taken.

(7) Breach of any of the above conditions by any of the said firms to entail

forfeiture of that firm's interest in all property within the Colony.

(*) Nothing in this permission to affect any right of capture at sea, or the

jurisdiction of any Prize Court, or the rights of allied Powers.

(1) This permission to be revocable without notice at any moment in the

absolute discretion of His Excellency the Governor.

I am to ask you for an early reply as to whether each of the firme in question will accept the above permission on the above conditions, as otherwise steps will have to be taken to prevent its further trading.

The arrangement proposed is, of course, conditional on the concurrence of the bank or banks which will be concerned in each case, and I am to ask you to ascer- tain whether the banks with which each of the firms in question has dealings or proposes to deal will accept their obligations thereunder.

As the above conditions do not appear to be suitable in the case of one firm for which I understand that you act, i.e., Messrs. Gaupp & Company, I am to request you to submit in that case separate proposals, which may be discussed beforehand with the Attorney-General.

I am also to ask you for particulars of any interest possessed in the local firm of Jebson & Company by the firm in Germany or by its partners.

I have, &c.,

Messrs. Deacon, Looker, Deacon & Harston,

Solicitors.

Messrs. Blackhead & Company.

Sander Wieler & Company.

1

Garrels Borner & Company.

13

Meyerink & Company.

GENTLEMEN,

165

HONG KONG.

Messrs. Arnhold Karberg & Company.

1J

Reuter, Brockelmann & Company.

China Export-Import-and-Bank Compagnie, Melchers & Company.

Enclosure 2 in No. 61.

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hong Kong, 29th August, 1914.

As it is understood that you act for various persons in this Colony of Ger- man and Austro-Hungarian nationality I am directed to inform you, for the pur pose of communication to auy of your clients who may consult you on the point, that any enemy subject who is allowed to remain in the Colony will, during good behaviour, be permitted to trade here under the following conditions:-

(a) He must not enter into any transaction which may, either wholly or in part, be for the benefit of any person residing, carrying on business, or being, within the German or Austro-Hungarian Empire, whether such person be a former partner or not.

(b) He must not, without permission previously obtained from this Govern- ment, take part in any transaction relating in any way to any goods or contract in which any person residing, carrying on business, or being, in the German or Austro-Hungarian Empire may have any property or interest.

(0) He must not remit any money directly or indirectly to the German or

Austro-Hungarian Empire.

(d) He must not engage in any other transaction which may be contrary to

the law in force in the Colony for the time being.

(e) He must pay into the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, or the Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China, or the Mercantile Bank of India, Limited, all moneys received by him in respect of such trading.

(f) If immediately before the outbreak of war between His Majesty and the country of which he is a subject he was trading in partnership with any person who now resides, carries on business, or is, in the German or Austro-Hungarian Empire, or who may during the continuance of such war so reside, carry on business, or be, he must not continue to use bis former firm name, but must trade under some other name which will indicate that his new business is a distinct enterprise. The substitution of "A. B. (Hong Kong) & Company" for "A. B. & Company" will be accepted for this purpose.

(g) He must not use any name calculated to induce any one to believe that any member of the firm is of British, allied, or neutral nationality.

(A) The permission to remain in this Colony and trade under the above con- ditions is subject to revocation at any moment in the absolute discretion of His Excellency the Governor.

I have, &c.,

Messrs. Deacon, Looker, Deacon and Harston. Messrs. Johnson, Stokes and Master. Messrs. Wilkinson and Grist.

41539/8

CLAUD SEVERN,

Colonial Secretary.

(Searet.)

SIR,

CLAUD SEVERN,

Colonial Secretary.

No. 62.

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 27th October, 1914.)

Government House, Hong Kong, 11th September, 1914.

In continuation of my Secret despatch of the 26th August, I have the honour to transmit the enclosed paraphrases and translations of cipher and code telegrams† received from you and despatched by me to you in connexion with the Anglo- German war.

* No. 60. + Not printed.