CO129-416 - Public Offices - 1914 — Page 91

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general concurrence in Sir John Jordan's

views.

Before communicating with the

Governor of Hongkong kr. Harcourt would be

lad to learn whether, in the opinion of the

Secretary of State, His Majesty's Covernment

should definitely accept this view and should

be prepared to support it firmly in the not

improbable event of protests being made by

Foreign Powers.

3. Further it seems to Ir. llarcourt

to be desiraule to ascertain what conditions

as to control and security His Majesty's

Kinister as well as the Govenor, considers

to be essential; and he presumes that, if

there were no other difficulties, the

possibility of effecting an arrangement would

depend on the extent to which the Canton

Authorities were prepared to go in this

direction.

4.

ir. Harcourt gathers from your

letter of the 25th February that Sir

John Jordan considers that foreign control

cannot be imposed from Peking,while Mr.

Jamieson considers that it can only be

imposed by Peking. In these circumstances

ne can only suggest that the best course to

adopt in present circumstances may be to do

nothing; to allow the situation to develope,

and the financial difficulties of the Canton

Go vernment to increase; and to instruct Kr.

Jamieson (subject to Sir E.Grey's view on the

point raisedin paragraph 2 of this letter)

to keep unofficially before the minds of the

local authorities the prospects of relief

whim the proposed scheme would afford.

5. Fr. Harcourt does not overlook, in

this connection, the loss to the trade of

Hongkong which will result from a continuance

of the existing state of affairs, but he fears

that it is impossible to apply any effective

remedy at present.

6.

Jonn