CO129-445 - Public Offices - 1917 — Page 197

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The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign

Affairs presents his compliments to the Secretary

to the London Chamber of Commerce, and is directed

by Mr. Secretary Balfour to acknowledge the receipt

of his letter of the 24th ultimo respecting certain

claims against the Italian Government for British

owned goods requisitioned by them ex the German S.S.

"Bayern".

In the circumstances mentioned Mr.Balfour

will be prepared to authorize His Majesty's Consul

General at Naples to issue a declaration, in the

sense desired, in the case of the two firms referred

to in paragraph 4 of the letter from the London

Chamber of Commerce, but it will be necessary in the

first instance that this Department should be supplied

with notarial extracts from the firms' deede of

partnership, showing who the partners are, and notari-

al copies of the birth certificates of the partners.

The notarial signatures should be duly authenticated

at the Home Office. As regards the Hong Kong and

Shanghai Banking Corporation Mr. Balfour is in com-

munication with the Board of Trade with a view to a

statement being furnished of the registration of the

Corporation in this country, and on receipt of this

Mr. Balfour will be prepared to authorize His Majesty's!

Consul to issue the desired declaration.

With respect to the Bank and firm mentioned

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