CO129-427 - Public Offices - 1915 — Page 316

COPY.

(126888)

No 3302/1915.

H. E. The Governor of Hongkong to H. M. Minister.

313

CONFIDENTIAL.

Sir,

GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

HONGKONG.

July 21st, 1915.

In continuation of my Confidential letter of the

21st May, I have now the honour to inform you that investi-

gations made by an official of the Hongkong Government

have failed to discover any indication that German firms

in the Colony were subsidised or in any other way direct-

ly supported by the German Government. As the Head

Offices of those firms which were branches of firme in

Germany are situated in that country it is to be surmised

that if subsidies or other financial aid were in fact

paid, they would be paid in Germany. But seeing that the

finance, insurance and shipping of the goods handled by

German firms were almost entirely in British hands, the

inference is that no financial aid was given by their

Government.

2.

I may here remark that the close investigations

made by Mr. T. M. Ainscough, Special Commissioner, Com-

mercial Intelligence Department, Board of Trade, who

has