CO129-517-1 Administration and function of Chinese Maritime customs- prevention of smuggling across Chinese frontiers 7-2-1929 - 15-11-1929 — Page 165

In any further communication on this subject, please quote.

No.

F1540/52/10.

and address-

not to any person by name,

but to-

The Under-Secretary of State,"

Foreign Office,

London, S.W.1.

CONFIDENTIAL.

Sir,

29 MAY 1929 2. OF FI

OFFI

FOREIGN OFFICE,

173

S.W.1.

27th May, 1929.

5

(3)

(18)

in 30035/

I am directed by Secretary Sir Austen Chamberlain

to invite a reference to your letter No. 62720/29 of the

27th March, transmitting copy of a despatch dated February

7th from the Governor of Hongkong in which he states that in

certain eventualities it would become necessary for the

Hongkong Government to insist on the removal of the Chinese

Customs House from the Colony. In his despatch of August

12th, 1927, which is referred to in his present despatch,

Sir C. Clementi made a somewhat similar statement as to his

intention of suspending all activities of the Chinese

Maritime Customs in Hongkong, and requiring the removal

from Hongkong of the staff of the Foreign Inspectorate as well

as the closure of its Hongkong office. I am to express the

hope that Mr. Secretary Amery will be good enough to bring

again to Sir C. Clementi's attention Sir Austen Chamberlain's

views which were expressed on that occasion in the Foreign

Office letter No. F 8554/3/10 of the 30th November, 1927, to

the Colonial Office, and that in particular His Excellency

may be reminded of the fact that Sir,Austen Chamberlain

would deprecate any steps of this nature being taken without

full previous consultation with this department.

2.

Sir Austen Chamberlain shares Sir C. Clementi's

view as to the great importance to foreign commercial

interests in China of an honest and efficient Customs

It is, however, inevitable that in the

Administration.

The Under Secretary of State,

Colonial Office.

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