CO129-512-4 Boxer Indemnity Settlement 22-12-1928 - 9-5-1929 — Page 121

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PARAPHRASE TELEGRAM from the Governor of Hong Kong to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

(Dated 4th February Received Colonial Office 3.p..m. 4th February, 1929.)

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Secret.

Your telegram of 21st January.

Boxer Indemnity 1 learn

with gratification of the possibility of obtaining contribution for Hong Kong University and desire to express thanks for your

efforts on its behalf.

I regret that the sum is not larger as the University's needs. are ver pressing and the sum mentioned will not satisfy them.

er

I earnestly beg that larger sum may be allotted.

I am much concerned at proposal to make grant dependent on payment by Nanking Government as I am afraid that once the money is in China's hands there will be great difficulty in obtaining payments to Hong Kong whatever undertaking the Chinese Government

may have given.

I would urge therefore that Lampson be instructed to insist

on payment of contribution to Hong Kong University out of accumu- lations now in hand as a condition of the surrender of indemnity

and balance to the Chinese Government.

I find it difficult to suggest any specific purpose to which such a small sum as £200,000 might be devoted. While I attach

the highest importance to the creation of a Chinese faculty, a

purpose which would be likely to appeal to the Nanking Government,

I realise that this lies practically outside the range of the University's present activities, and is moreover something which

must