CO129-439 - Others - 1916 — Page 360

"

Foreign Trade.

No. 17

c. o

32882

REC

355

H.B.M. Consulate General

May 29th, 1916.

+

sir,

REGE 12 JUL

I have the honour to report that Mr. Y. Hirata, representing Messrs. Morimura Bros. of Nagoya, Japan, called at this Consulate-General

on May 29th with a view to obtaining facilities

for the shipment of certain cargo consisting mainly of porcelain and embroideries which had

been ordered in October, 1915, by the New York

office of Messrs. Morimura Bros. from Messrs. A.

Richter, Canton. Mr. Hirata informed me that

he quite recognised that Messrs. A. Richter's

inability to ship the cargo was due to their enemy

associations and that he had accordingly cancelled

the contract with that firm and was endeavouring

to find a new purchasing agent. The cargo had been

ordered but not paid for by Messrs. A. Richter and

part of it was already packed in the godowns of

the various Chinese dealers. He proposed to pay

these dealers direct and ship the cargo to New

York either himself or, as he was only temporarily

in Canton, through an agent whom he would appoint.

Mr. Hirata inquired whether in these circumstances

the British authorities would allow the shipment

to go forward.

Granting Mr. Harata's facts I could not

see my way to giving a categoric refusal and I

The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs,

Foreign Office,

LONDON.

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