CO129-455 - Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1919 [7-9] — Page 66

3

JJ

-CONFIDENTIAL.

*

My Lord,

C

55397

27 #P

64

GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

HONGKONG.

22nd. July, 1919.

12384

nobosure!

With reference to Mr. Long's telegram

of the 13th. March, 1918, and previous correspondence regard-

-ing the Anglo-Chinese Customs Agreement of Hongkong, I have

the honour to forward for Your Lordship's information the

enclosed copy of a Despatch which I addressed to His Majesty'e

Minister at Peking on the 28th, April last, and a copy of

Sir John Jordan's reply. I attach also copies of Despatches

from Sir John Jordan, dated the 9th. September, 1918, and

29th, March, 1919.

2.

It is proposed, in the last paragraph of

Sir John Jordan's Despatch of the 29th. March, that the date

for the coming into force of the Agreement should be left

indefinite. It would not of course be feasible to put into

operation an Agreement mainly affecting the Southern party

in China, which had been negotiated and arranged at Peking

without reference to the Authorities at Canton; and for this

reason alone it would seem to be most inadvisable to enter

upon any obligation until a stable Government, with power to

enforce its authority, is established in China.

RIGHT HONOURABLE

VISCOUNT MILNER

&C.

•

G.C.B. &c..

&C...

I have the honour to be,

My Lord,

Your Lordship's most obedient,

humble servant,

Adud Seven

Officer Administering the Government.