CO129-430 - Others & Individuals - 1915 — Page 540

The Under Secretary of State

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10/6/1915

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agent other than Cheetham, because the inevitable result of any such endeavour would be that the Texas Company, after all the trouble they have had in the matter, would make arrange ments that would override British interests completely, by appointing an American agent and financing through an American

Bank.

We are the more loth to contemplate such a possibility as we are so confident in ourselves of the personal integrity of Mr.Humphrey Cheetham. The writer has no acquaintance with him, but he is known to Mr.Sanders and to our people in Man- cheater, who regard him as incapable of other than straight – forward action. He is the son of a highly respectable citizen of Manchester and went out to China about ten years ago.

That he has moved in an ambient giving colour to what we are convinced are the groundless suspicions of the Authori - ties is perhaps only natural, when the circumstances are con- sidered. For instance, the liquidators of Messrs. Reuter Brockelmann themselves wrote as though the interests of that firm were their first concern. They were in constant communi cation with Mr.Steger in Shanghai, after his expulsion from Hongkong where he had been Reuter Brockelmann's manager. On the 2nd March the liquidators cabled to him as follows:

"Petroleum Godowns we think it would be advisable

renew leases new competition will start Frisco concern forming Chinese Company half million capital enquire Texas Co. reply during the week is very important

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Shewan "

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