CO129-443 - Governor Sir May - 1917 [7-9] — Page 74

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Enclosure

No. 024.

7.

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.VI21.8.81 ant to

sir,

"Tamar" at Hongkong,

13th. June, 1917.

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TOMIOVOD

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I have the honour to thank Your Excellency for

the copy of the report of the Committee appointed by you to report! on the vital requirements of the Oclony and what British tonnage

is necessary to meet suot requirements.

2.

I have read the report with much interest but regret that, in my opinion, it will be valusless for the purpose required, 1.e. for the Requisitioning authority to determine the amount of British tonnage required by Hongkong for ta vital requirements.

3.

It would appear that consideration should be

given to the probability of every possible British vessel being

required to relieve the home tonnage position and that a more

definite statement of the tonnage required for various trade

routes based on actual requirements so as to prevent famine

or other serious hardship to the community is what is wanted.

I notice that the Committee recommend that no

4.

-

further reduction should take place except in the

gravest

urgency" and although perhaps this urgency has not yet aricer,

and it is to be hoped will not arise, it is exactly the

circumstances, so far as I understand, for which Hongkong is

requested to make préparation.

5.

I should point cut that the Committee appear to

have based their very indefinite report on what is, in their

opinion, the situation at the present time and have in no way

considered the matter from a point of view of grave urgency and

Imperial neceeeity. I fully appreciate the difficulties with

which a Committee reporting on such a large matter will be met,

but suggest that they must be overoore, not only in order to

Excellency

The Governor and Commander-in-Chief,

Hongkong.