CO129-441 - Governor Sir May - 1917 [1-3] — Page 327

2

BRITONS V. GERMANS IN CHINA

sincere wish that it will have some little effect on the after-war trading programmes of those firms into whose hands this informa- tion comes:

The statements and scope of this work centre round Hongkong for the most part, partly because of my long residence in this Colony, but mainly because of the enforced liquidation of enemy firms in which I have had the opportunity of taking an active part. These liquidations have given exceptional opportunities for investigating the methods. and inner workings of German firms, and such information is not available to the same extent in regard to other places in China.

I am indebted for permission to make use in a general way of knowledge obtained during the process of the liquidations, as otherwise I should not have felt justified in making public many of the facts which have been acquired from this source,

322

BRITONS V. GERMANS IN CHINA 3

As far as possible I have endeavoured to exclude information which may be found in various reports, such as those published by Mr. T. M. Ainscough and others. Rather I have tried to throw light on certain aspects about which misconceptions appear to exist.

I venture the opinion that the present time presents the opportunity of a lifetime for Merchants at home and abroad to co- operate, and prevent any reversion to pre- war conditions existing in British Colonies. Fair competition will be welcome at all times, but it would be nothing less than a crime to give Germans, or for that matter the sub- jects of any other nation, a chance to repeat the dog-in-the-manger tactics that enemy firms have employed in the past in regard to trade.

THE AUTHOR.

f