CO129-470 - Public Offices - 1921 — Page 337

歇

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This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]

8864

CHINESE LOANS AND CONCESSIONS.

REC

[February 19.]

CONFIDENTIAL.

REG 24 FEB 21

SECTION 1.

F 607/181 :0]

(Contidential.) Sir,

No. 1.

Post Offer to Foreign Office.-(Received February 19.)

General Post Office, February 18, 1921.

I AM directed by the Postmaster-General to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 14th instant on the subject of cable and wireless communication with China, and to say that be is giving careful consideration to the matter preparatory to its discussion at the meeting of the Imperial Communications Committee.

In order, however, that all the facts may be available when the question is discussed by that committee, he would be much obliged if the Secretary of State could ascertain whether the Chinese National Wireless Telegraph Company contemplated by the agreement of the 24th May, 1919, between the Chinese Government and the Marconi Company has actually opened a factory in China, and whether it would be in a position to manufacture or supply without serious delay an installation such as that which is contemplated in the proposed agreement between the Chinese Government and the Federal Wireless Company of America, and which appears to be practically identical with the high-power station which has recently been erected near Bordeaux.

The Postmaster-General understands that the proposed agreement between the Chinese Government and the Federal Wireless Company contemplates the erection of one or more high-power stations by the latter company as contractors to the Government, and does not grant them a concession for the erection of such stations on their own account. If this assumption is correct, the contract would clearly be an infringement of clause 6 of the agreement with the Marconi Company if the latter company is able 1. supply an installation of the kind required, or one equally good, and not higher in price. If, however, the contract constitutes a concession to the Federal Company for the erection of a station on their own account, it would not presumably be an infringe- ment of the agreement with the Marconi Company, although it would apparently be an infringement of the existing exclusive concessions enjoyed by the Eastern Extension and Great Northern Telegraph Companies, and might also be an infringement of the agreement between the Chinese Government and the Japanese Mitsui Company. If there is any doubt on the point, the Secretary of State may possibly think this also should be cleared up before the meeting of the Imperial Communications Committee.

I am, &c.

G. E. P. MURRAY.

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