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Enclosure 1.
His Excellency
Sir Henry May, K.C.L.G.
Dear Sir Henry,
Hongkong, 6th, April, 1915.
292
With reference to the demands on China by
Japan, the views of the leading Chinese merchants in this Colony are undivided, as regards the following:-
(a). If Japan succeeds in her efforts, not only China will
lose her sovereignty rights but also Japan's influence
will so expand as to exclude, in the immediate future,
all European interests from China.
(b). Japan is taking advantage of the present opportunity to push her interests ahead, the European Powers being too busily engaged in their home affairs to spare close attention for Far Eastern questions.
(c). The open-door policy and the preservation of the in-
-tegrity of China are obstructions to Japan's expansion and aspirations; naturally she should do her best to
remove them, when an opportunity presents itself. (d). China is hopelessly incapable to offer effective
resistance, and if left alone, she will have to submit
to the demands of Japan with or without modifications.
(ə). Great Britain is the only powerful friend, who can
effectively help China and on whom China has always been relying for help.
They request us, as their representatives on the Legislative
Council, to lay the above views before Your Excellency in the hope that Your Excellency may see your way to urge upon the attention
of His Majesty's Government that steps must necessarily be taken
to insist on the strict observance of the open-door policy and
the maintenance of the integrity of China.
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