CO129-429 - Public Offices & Others - 1915 — Page 124

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kinasj

The firm have given us a guarantee of kinas

and what we asked the Board of Trade was whether that

guarantee ought in some way to be supported.

Now

they reply that practically they rely upon the

possibility of taking proceedings under the Trading

with the Enemy Proclamation. If this is their view

we can only take ordinary precautions over the

guarantee.

I think, therefore, we may tell De Grelle,

Houdret and Co. that the question of the effectiveness

of their guarantee has been under consideration, that

if possible it would be better that they should and

to it some undertaking from their London bankers but

that in any case they should also require from the

firm to whom they import a further undertaking to

pay only de Grelle, Houdret & Co.

The Hans

Catt

KA

"2/10/05

Catt

"20115"

atmu

Any further communication should be addred tow

THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY, at the address given opposite,

The following letter and number should

be quoted :-

C.

31202

Telegraphic Address:

COLASTA, LONDON. Telephone No.: 3840 Victoria.

Sir,

BOARD OF TRADE,

(COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT),

WHITEHALL,

GWYDYR HOUSE,

C.O

44312

REC?

LONDON, S.W.

RFGE 27 SEP 15 25th September, 1915

With reference to your letter of the 21st Sep- tember, No. 41701/1915, I am directed by the Board of Trade to suggest for the consideration of Mr. Bonar Law, that the permission to Messrs De Grelle, Houdret and Company to import the Belgian goods in question into Hong- kong should be made conditional upon payment for the goods being deferred until the enemy occupation of Belgium has ceased, or payment being made into an account in a Bank

in this country and an undertaking obtained from the Bank that the money will not be allowed to be withdrawn while

the enemy occupation continues except under licence given

on behalf of His Majesty's Government.

The Board would also suggest that Messrs De

Grelle, Houdret and Company, should be asked to give an

undertaking in the terms of this condition, and that the

importer of the goods in Hongkong should be required to

produce to the Customs Authorities there upon taking

delivery of the goods, an undertaking that he will make

no payment for the goods except to Messfs De Grelle,

Houdret and Company.

The Under Secretary of State,

Colonial Office.

J

with regard to the sanction attaching to

the