CO129-469 - Governor Sir Stubbs - 1921 [9-12] — Page 542

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MINUTES.

MINUTES NOT TO BE WRITTEN

ON THIS SIDE.

N: 469-

sir.

3536

23 JAN 22

533

GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

HONGKONG. 19th December, 1921.

:

Enclosure 1. Enclosures 26.3.

With reference to Lord Milner's Circular despatch of the 9th of August, 1920, I have the honour to state that the question of the compulsory provision of wireless telegraphy on ocean going vessels using the port of Hongkong has been receiving the careful consideration of this Goverment. I enclose copies of a letter from the Acting Harbour Master to the Chamber of Commerce and of a

·letter and memorandum from the Chamber of Commerce on the

subject.

2. The chief difficulties in applying to

Hongkong the policy embodied in the Merchant Shipping (Wireless Telegraph) Act, 1919, arise from the fact that

neither China nor Japan has adopted this policy, and there

would in consequence appear to be some danger of driving

foreign shipping, particularly Japanese and Chinese, away from Hongkong to the coast ports of China so as to avoid the necessity of complying with such wireless telegraph provisions as might be required in Hongkong; whereas if legislation was limited to ships registered in Hongkong these would be to some extent penalised in comparison with foreign shipping, and an inducement to transfer ships from the British to the Chinese flag would be created,

I enclose in this connection a list showing

the mmbers of seagoing ships of various nationalities,

:

nclosure 4.

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

WINSTON CHURCHILL, M.P.,

80..

10+

with