CO129-494 - Governor Sir Clementi - 1926 [9-10] — Page 516

7th January, 1927.

431

Dear Olutterbuck,

I have spoken to the Admiralty and War office. Neither of these Departments has sent any C.I.D. Papers to the service Commanders at Hong Kong, nor have they given them any fuller information concerning the arguments on which the conclusions of the O.I.D. were based than was contained in the telegrams sent to Pekin and Hong Kong. The G.0.0. and Commodoro, Hong Kong, do not appear to have made any complaint with regard to this.

You will therefore be perfectly safe in sending a reply to the Governor as suggested in your minute of 24th December.

Personally I don't think the Governor has any grounds for complaint, except for the fact that the Ohiefs of Staff (and 0.1.D.) arrived at conclusions diametrically opposed to those of the local authorities at Hong Kong, who might well think that their views should be taken into consideration.

Telegrams such as F.0. No.269 give all the information that seems necessary, and as it takes six weeks or so for mails to reach Hong Kong any despatches or 0.1.D.Papers on subjects of urgent importance woula always arrive too late to be of any importance.

Yours ever,

Clutterbuck, Esq., M.O.,

Colonial office, S.W.1.

Juracready.