CO129-440 - Others & Individuals - 1916 — Page 518

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Messrs. Reise & Co.

517

N.B. I should add that my Company has been working under

this form of contract for many years to mutual satisfaction,

and ac have many other firms in all parts of the world; the

foot of an important agency of this particular kind (the dis-

tribution of oil in foreign countries) having at all been

granted, being by itself considered (by most people) a guaran-

bee for the continuance of the agency for years provided of

course that the agents are ospable of handling the businesa.

This must be assumed in the case of Mesars. Reiss & Co.

b) that I obtain for the Texas Company a letter from the Secre-

tery of State addressed to it- assuring the Company that poli-

tical expediency will not, hereafter, cause the Colonial Office

and/or the Governor of Hongkong to debar the firm of Reiss & Co.

from trading in Hongkong and Canton.

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-

There are various reasons, the cumulative effect of which

caused the Texas Company to stipulate the last named condition, but

their recapitulation would, I think, be out of place in this official

letter of mine. However, you may care perhaps to hear my own opinijon

as to this request of the Texas Company.

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It is that I do think that the Company's attitude in

view of all the troubles caused to its business in Hongkong and Can-

ton

C

is justified; troubles which, the Texas Company think, should

not have arisen, willing as it is to make all reasonable allowance

for the circumstances created by the war.

Meanwhile, I have provided Mesars. Relas & Co. Hongkong

with a Power of Attorney, so that they, instead of Mr. Cheetham, can

attend to the sale of the remaining portion of the oil ex / "Panama",