CO129-470 - Public Offices - 1921 — Page 157

In any further communication

on this subject, please quote

No. F 220/220/10.

and address,

It to

not to any person by name,

"The Under-Secretary of State,"

Foreign Office,

London, S.W.J.

URGENT.

147070

Sir,

RESE

C.O

3729

UPS! 24 JAN 20

155

FOREIGN OFFICE. S.W.1.

22nd January, 1921.

I am directed by Earl Curzon of Kedleston to transmit

to you herewith copy of a private telegram received from Sir B. Alston, His Majesty's Minister at Peking, stating

that he has been approached by the British Committee for the

relief of the famine in North China with a view to the

transmission of appeals for grants from His Majesty's

Goverment, from the various Colonial Governments, and from

the Goverment of India.

2.

On October 11th, 1920, Viscount Milner telegraphed 30 to His Excellency the Governor of Hongkong that His Lordship

had no objection to the transmission to His Majesty's

Minister at Peking of one hundred thousand dollars

$100,000.

£14,000.

(equivalent to about fourteen thousand pounds sterling at current rates of exchange) as unanimously approved by the

Members of Council of the Government of Hongkong, for femine

relief. Lord Curzon is unaware of the amount of the

contribution forwarded to Sir B. Alston from Singapore.

3. Lord Milner is doubtless aware that His Majesty's Government have already given their consent to the increase for a period of twelve months of the Chinese Maritime and Native Customs duties from five per cent to five and a half per cent ad valorem, with a view to raising in China funds for the relief of the famine in North China, and that a Kansion House Fund has also been opened in London for this

purpose.

The Under-Secretary of State,

Colonial Office.

4.1