CO129-403 - Governor Sir May Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1913 [8-10] — Page 395

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GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONGKONG. 30th. September, 1913.

70

Sir,

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I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of

your Despatch No. 264 of the 29th. of August transmitting a copy of a letter from the Foreign Office giving cover to a letter from the

Imperial Merchant Service Guild.

2.

Letters have been addressed by the Guild both

to lir. Thomson and Commander Taylor forwarding copies of the article in the London Shipping Gazette and Lloyd's List, and by my direction they merely acknowledged the receipt of these communica-

-tions which were apparently sent for information only.

3.

I regret to inform you that the letter addressed by the Harbour Master to Mr. H. Cornwall is accurately quoted in the article, and I agree with what you have written as regards its

tone. The Harbour Master was instructed to inform Mr. Cornwall that

the Government of Hongkong would take no steps in connection with the matter, but he thought fit to add the rest of the letter which is based on another portion of the minute of ir. Thomson, who was acting as Colonial Secretary. This minute was written for the Governor's consideration and Sir Henry May agreed with it. It was not intended to be included in the letter, and Mr. Thomson pointed this out shortly afterwards to the Harbour Master. I have caused Commander Basil Taylor to be informed that in your opinion the tone of the latter to Mr. Cornwall leaves a great deal to be desired,

RIGHT HONOURABLE

and

LEWIS HARCOURT, M.P.,

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