CO129-430 - Others & Individuals - 1915 — Page 488

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18/1/1915

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H.M. Undersecretary of State

for the Colonies

469

ject in the employ of that firm, who is thus the only person in

Hongkong possessing the necessary practical experience to carry

it on. It is also for this reason that Mr.Schluter was chosen

as an assistant to the Liquidators of the Hongkong firm, and in ·

view of his experience we should like to appoint him our Attor- !

ney to continue and further develop the business for the Texas :

Oil Co. and ourselves.

Now, as generally happens in the case of a business

of such importance and value, an American firm is at the present

time trying to get control of it, by prevailing upon the Texas

Co. to cancel the contract made with ua. We very much fear

therefore that the agency will be lost to us and the London

money market, unless we are in a position to act quickly and to

inform the Texas Co. definitely that our proposal to appoint

Mr.Hakon Schluter will be approved by the Hongkong Authorities.

As any proposal of this kind must have the formal

Banction of His Excellency the Governor of Hongkong which would

entail delay, endangering our retention of the business, we ven-

ture to ask your kind assistance in this dilemma. We should

like to know whether, having considered the particulars we would

lay before you, you would be good enough to support our proposal

in regard to the transfer of the business to our attorney.

In conclusion, we may mention that the present stock

of oil in Hongkong (and Canton) consists of about 100,000 cases

valued at about £ 25,000 and that we are making arrangements

İ