CO129-429 - Public Offices & Others - 1915 — Page 396

Any further communication on this subject should be addressed to--

The Secretary,

War Office,

London, 8.W.,

and the following number quoted.

083/4889. (M.0.5.A.)

sir,

C.)

37291

35.

Ea

394

REA 13

War Office,

London, S.W.

August, 1915.

Go

I am commanded by the Army Council to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 28868/1915, of

too

the 7th July, 1915, on the subject of the supply of funds to certain missions in Hong Kong.

The Council have considered carefully the

735/vernor's secret despatch of the 11th February, 1915, and

the enclosures thereto, and, in view of Mr. Bitzer's letters

of the 31st August, 1914, and Lieutenant Colonel Hoberley's statement of the 6th February, 1915, are forced to the con- clusion that Mr. Bitzer, the Treasurer of the Basel Mission, was guilty of spreading false reports with no other object than that of assisting the enemy in China. They would propose, if Mr. Bonar Law concurs, to transmit a copy of the correspondence to the Foreign Office for the information of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

I am to say that in the Council's opinion it

would seem undesirable to place further funds at the disposal

of the Mission, unless adequate safeguards for their proper

application can be secured, so long as Mr. Bitzer remaine

its Treasurer.

The Under Secretary of State, COLONIAL OFFICE,

6.W.

I am,

Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

BB Culite.

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