CO129-360 - Public Offices - 1909 — Page 670

In any further communica tion on this subject, please quote

No.

10399/09.

and address-

The Under-Secretary of State,

Foreign Office,

London.

C.O.

10506

Rece REGE 25 MAR 09

FOREIGN OFFICE

March 20

Confidential.

Sir:

665

1909.

I am directed by Secretary Sir Edward Grey to ac-

Go15

knowledge the receipt of your letter 8123 of the 17th.

instant forwarding a Secret Despatch from the Governor

of Hong Kong with regard to the Island of Pratas in the

China Seas.

1

I am to state in reply that Sir Edward Grey con-

curs in the reply which Sir F. Lugard proposes to re-

turn to a question asked in the Hong Kong Legislative

Council, to the effect that no steps can be taken to

V

erect a Wireless Station on the islands as they are

claimed by China, but that the Chinese Government will

be acquainted, through His Majesty's Minister at Pe-

king, with the importance which would attach to a ty-

phoon Signal Station on the Pratas Shoal not merely to

Hong Kong but to the Southern Coasts of China.

I am, Sir,

Your most obedient,

humble Servant,

Hampbell

The Under Secretary of State,

Colonial Office.