CO129-481 - Governor Sir Stubbs - 1923 [8-12] — Page 564

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British trade with China. Hankow is completed we can have the whole of the trade of China South of the Yang-tee in our hands and the possi-

bilities are enormous,

When the railway connection with

But in order to obtain this future position,

and in order even to maintain our present position, we must work with the neighbouring provinces and not against them, An open brench with Canton will throw us back for years:

British trade will lose its chance and it will be too late to recover our ground: the trade will go to Amerioa, Japan

and Germany.

Moreover, the feeling, already existing, that Hong Kong ought to belong to China will be intensified and there will be grave risk of a boycott of British trade being instituted in order to press forward that view.

I have therefore felt it to be my duty to Your

Grace, to this Colony and to the Emire to do what I can to prevent a breach with our neighbours. If, in so doing, I have appear to be criticising the policy of His Majesty's

Government or to be adopting a line pposed to it,

I can

only express my regret.

I