CO129-451 - Public Offices - 1918 — Page 446

[copy.

M.D.

Dear Sirs,

442

Marseilles 16th, July, 1918.

Tea Shipments to Switzerland.

We beg to enclose

herewith copy of a telegram just received from Hong- kong regarding shipments effected by Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co., Ltd., Shanghai of:

2,000 packages Tea per s.s. "Saigon-Maru

945

#

"Sumatra-Maru"

to Marseilles.

We are greatly surprised to hear that the Hong- kong Authorities will not permit these shipments to be consigned to the "S.S.S. (Societe Suisse de Surveill- ance Economique,) notwithstanding the fact that the

goods were shipped from Shanghai, and we surmise that this is due to a misinterpretation of the British

Government's orders.

As a matter of fact, your Shanghai friends have already shipped other lots of Tea by Japanese steamers to Mare eilles without any difficulty being encounter-

ed.

Cessrs. Matheson & Co.,Ltd.,

The above

London.