CO129-407 - Public Offices & Others - 1913 — Page 76

.5

(Copy) H. 909.

SAIGON,

COCHINCHINA,

25th November, 1912.

75

Dear Sir,

I am much obliged to you for your letters of Sep- tember 23rd and October 16th last, the contents of which I have read with much interest, I am also indebted

to you for the copy of a letter addressed to you on October 10th by the Foreign Office, relative to the establishment of a light in the vicinity of the Paracels

Reef.

From enquiries which I had made locally prior to the despatch to you of my letter of June 25th last, I learned that ownership of the reef in question was

claimed by the Chinese Government some few years ago, shortly after a dispute arose between China and Japan in regard to the Pratas Island and Reef, which lie somewhat to the north of the Paracel group, and on which the Japanese had discovered sulphur in consider-

able quantities.

By reference to the China Sea Directory Volume II, you will note that "the Paracels Islands and reefs are an extensive group of "low coral islands and reefs lying between latitude 15 deg. 46 min. and 17 deg. 5 min. N., long III deg. 13 min. and 112 deg. 47 min. They consist of two principal groups, the Amphitrite and Crescent, and several reefs and islands."

as.

From