CO129-414 - Governor Sir May - 1914 [10-11] — Page 58

AZ

Paraphrase of CYPHER Telegram

From GOVERNOR, HONGKONG,

Το

SECRETARY OF STATE.

Date 21st October, 1914.

5355

LUSTAÐIST AIHYY) to sarzigsIB¶

OT

„ELODIONOH „HOKANTOO MOTE

.HTATE TO YHATREDIS

„DIRI,redoto0 dɛIS adaⱭ

I. enʊ oniúsɔ saúi jaibasumaŭ resi110 Latone) odt

and bas Jon Lilas♬ and to sonatal sat taút znizes sit10 +gn02_moli od noiteoilqgs aban sa binona ti rebus anoitsinged lliw ime Jos¿dre end no Itam yď dodaquab a woy gaisirw an I

.Ji rot Jiew [[kw woy lì balz ed

YAM

Your cypher telegram of 16th October. My comments are. Communication with Germany is only possible over a censored cable or through the wireless station at Sayville in America where, I understand, messages are also censored. Uncensored cable communication with Bangkok, Singapore and westwarda is also impossible. All German postal matter is censored. Uncensored communications by hand to Canton and thence by post or telegraph to Shanghai and Manila is possible, but the cable from Manila to the Netherlands-India is interrupted and wireless on German ships et Manila is dismantled and messages sent through the Government wireless station there are censored. It is difficult therefore to understand how serious leakage of news can come from Hongkong. It is impossible to inmediately close down German firms entirely without injury to British and Chinese interests because contracts both for import and export entered into before the war and now being executed will require at least six months to wind up. There are also many forward contracts made before war by German firms for imports from England and neutral countries and exports from China. Dealing with these would present further difficulty. The alternatives appear therefore to be firstly to restrict German firms to liquidation of contracts entered into before the war. Secondly to allow things to remain as already approved by you. I would point out that even if there were no Germans here it would be easy for Germans in Canton or Kacao to establish a system of espionage by Chinese travelling daily to and from Hongkong by steamers or trains. Finally effect of total suppression of German trade is largely on behalf of British manufacturers on future of Colony must be considered. Local trade is negligible Hongkong is distributing centre of imports and exports for South China.

MAY