CO129-431 - Governor Sir May - 1916 [1-2] — Page 455

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DEAR SIR,

TELEGRAPH RATES.

Mr. C. Selby Moore to China Association.

7, Union Court, London, EC.

28th August, 1914.

I beg to bring to the notice of your Committee the fact that the Cable Companies will not now accept messages at "deferred" rates for the Far East.

While merchants are making every effort to carry on their business on more or less normal lines, they bave not only to contend with the suppression of one of the greatest aids to modern business, the unlimited use of cypher messages, but are denied the alleviation of sending their plain language messages at "deferred" rates.

The Government has given good proof of their desire to keep and foster our oversca trade, and while it is no doubt desirable that for the present only plain language messages be sent, at least I think we might expect a continuance of half- rates for "deferred messages.

J

I am sure the Committee will see the desirability of using all their influence to facilitate the sending of messages to the Far East at as low a rate as possible.

Yours faithfully,

C. SELBY MOORE.

The Secretary, China Association,

99, Cannon Street, E.C.

China Association to Foreign Office.

China Association,

SIR,

99, Cannon Street, E.C.,

18th September, 1914.

I have the honour, by direction of my Committee, to enclose for your information copy of a telegram received from the Hongkong Branch of this Association urging that the Cable Companies be pressed to grant reduced rates for commercial messages to and from the Far East unless some modified use of cypher messages can be authorised.

• The text of this message will be found in the letter from Hougkong, dated 17th September, page 18.

Representations have also been made to the Association by individual firms, pointing out that the cost of telegraphing en clair including names and addresses is practically prohibitive and is a serious handicap on business. It has been suggested that deferred telegrams at reduced rates night be accepted, but we understand that the objection to this on the part of the Cable Companies is that for the present at least in view of the amount of official matter passing over the cables it would be physically impossible to transmit such deferred messages within any definite time.

In view of the foregoing my Committee would respectfully suggest that the time has come when coded messages to the Far East, say, Hongkong and the Treaty Ports of China, might be permitted without detriment to the public interest, or if it is not deemed advisable to make such permission general, a discrimination might be made in favour of Firms of standing who are known to have regular business relations with their branches in Hongkong and China.

I have, &c.,

H.M. Under Secretary of State

for Foreign Affairs.

(Signed) F. ANDERSON,

Chairman.

The following Note and Memorandum of an Interview were circulated during October, 1914, to Members of the Association for their information.

TELEGRAPH RATES.

At the beginning of September a complaint was received from a member of the Association that the Cable Companies had discontinued acceptance of messages at "deferred" rates, the consequence being that business with China was much restricted on account of the expense of telegraphing in plain words at full rates.

The assistance of the Association was sought with a view to obtaining, at an early date, the restoration of "deferred" rates.

It was ascertained, upon inquiry, that the reason for the suspension of deferred facilities was that the tremendous volume of Government work, which of course took priority, had made it temporarily impossible for the Cable Companies to accept "deferred" messages; but they expressed a bope that within a reasonable period, they would be able to restore the deferred facilities.

A few days later, however, the Association received a wire from the Hongkong Branch urging that unless cypher messages could be authorised the Cable Companies should be asked to accept reduced rates. This message was forwarded to the Foreign Office under covering letter (dated the 18th September) of which the following is the final paragraph :—

"My Committee would respectfully suggest that the time has come when coded "messages to the Far East, say, Hongkong and the Treaty Ports of China might be "permitted without detriment to the public interest, or if it is not deemed advisable to "make such permission general, a discrimination might be made in favour of Firms of standing who are known to have regular business relations with their branches in "Hongkong and China."

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