CO129-353 - Public Offices - 1908 — Page 438

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nabrol .1 .0

(bangi)

nfidential.

Sir: -

September 17th, 1908.

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of

your despatch, confidential, dated the 16th ultimo, on

the subject of the ownership of the Pratas Islands in

the China Sea.

In reply to a private letter addressed to Taotai

Wen Tsung Yao, Secretary to the Canton Viceroy, on the

17th ultimo, I have to-day received a semi-official

communication, copy and translation of which I have the

honour to enclose, in which it is clearly stated that

these islands belong to China.

The Captain of one of the Hongkong - Canton River

steamers who formerly sailed between Hongkong and

Manila informs me that he knows the Pratas group well.

They lie a little to the North-West of the direct

course to Manila, but in bad weather ships often pass

quite close to them and he believes small steamers have

more than once anchored there during the North-East

J. N. Jordan, K.C.M.G.,

&C.*

&c., &c.

monsoon