(35)
atid
no Tel.
13th Aug 27.
alid li 35-
Decypher of a telegram from the Governor of Hong Kong to
the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
Dated 3rd August, 1927.
36
(Received Colonial Office 12.10 p.m. 3rd August, 1927).
Addressed to Secretary of State for the Colonies,
repeated to Peking No. 40.
86
Your telegram of 2nd August Nanking taxation proposals.
On behalf of Hong Kong I heartily endorse Lampson's
telegram to Foreign Office No. 1213. It is of vital importance to the future of this Colony that destruction
of British treaty rights by unilateral arbitrary action
of a Chinese region authority should be prevented by
force if nothing else avails. Firmness in a just cause
was never more necessary in China than now.
As regards British trade in Kuangtung I have had
full discussion with Bell who believes that proposed
taxation would result in a large illicit junk traffic.
Such smuggling would be very detrimental to legitimate
British commerce and I fear it would inevitably centre
in Hong Kong and produce serious friction between this
Government and adjacent Chinese Administrations.
As regards Foreign Office telegram 488 there is
no guarantee whatever that tariff autonomy would be
accompanied by maintenance of Customs administration
which has never been in greater danger than now nor is
there any prospect that Likin and other harmful
internal taxation would be effectively abolished.
Tangshaoyi
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.