CO129-433 - Governor Sir May - 1916 [5-6] — Page 540

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Enclosure

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REC Rer 25.

AMERICAN CONSULAR SERVICE.

Hongkong, May 27,

1916.

The Honorable,

Sir:

The Colonial Secretary,

Hongkong.

This office has been informed unofficially that

the German bank building in Hongkong will be sold at public auction

sometime in August under orders of the Hongkong Goverment, and, assuming this information to be accurate, I have the honour to reques

that the writer be informed as to the reasons of this intended sale.

It is my understanding that the German bank is a purely private institution, that the property is not incumbered, and that it holds a large credit balance with the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Cor- poration, of something like five lacks of Hongkong dollars.

In the event of the sale actually taking place this office would be pleased to be informed as to the disposition of the books and records of the bank, and those of the German Consulate stored there at the present time, and all deposits entrusted to the German bank for safe custody and of other effects and papers belong- ing to German subjects now stored in the building. I am informed that there are twenty-one cases of private effects belonging to Mr. R. Timmerscheidt, the former manager of the Hongkong branch, who is

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