CO129-446 - Others & Individuals - 1917 — Page 601

2.

of the Committee should at least be put in possession

of the facts which appear to us to justify the attitude

596

to which General Henderson takes exception.

When the Hongkong War Charities Committee

first approached the War Office through the Colonial

office, they were advised to offer a contribution to the

Royal Flying Corps Hospital.

Hongkong then asked

whether the whole or a distinct part could be entrusted

to Hongkong to support. In reply to this, it was said

to be impracticable either to hand over the whole to

Hongkong to support, or to divide it'.

This statement was made in a telegram to

Hongkong sent on the 11th April, and General Henderson

appears to regard it as constituting the basis of the

agreement eventually reached. No agreement of any sort

was come to on this basis.

No mention had then been made of the amount of

the contemplated contribution.

The War Office had stated

the cost of upkeep of No. 37 Bryanston Square to be

£75 a week, say, £4,000 a year.

It was manifestly

impracticable to divide a hospital constituted on so small