CO129-458 - Public Offices & Others - 1919 — Page 234

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further communication ON ubject, please quotę

216664/45

ditress

Controller,

paign Trade Department.

Rephone: Gerrard 8640.

Sir,

Gota

222

FOREIGN TRADE DEPARTMENT,

BRIDGEWATER HOUSE,

ST. JAMES'S,

1653

S.W.1,

January 1919.

REC

UK 8 JAN :9

I am directed by Mr. Secretary Balfour to refer to the letter from this Department of December 31st last 9 relating to trade relations between John C. Siegfried &

Company of San Francisco and other firms in Hongkong and to express regret that this letter was sent without refer- ence to your letter of December 10th (57940) which made it plain that the previous letter from this Department of July 9th enclosing copy of a report from His Majesty's Consul- General at New York on Messrs. Siegfried & Company had been acted upon by your Department.

2

In Mr. Balfour's considered opinion the imposition of any restrictions whatsoever on trade with firms in the United States on account of alleged enemy interest is highly undesirable at the present time, and I am accordingly to re- quest that action may be taken on the letter from this Depart- ment on December 31st, and that the previousletter of July 9th may be regarded as cancelled.

I am,

Sir,

Your most obedient,

The Under-Secretary of State,

Colonial Office,

Whitehall,

humble Servant,

M. D. Peterson

Tor Controller.

S.W.1.