CO129-517-7 Draft Commercial Treaty with China- Governor's action 14-3-1929 - 25-7-1929 — Page 35

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position of having to protest against

the action of a fellow-official with

whom he is personally on the most

friendly terms and has had to address

to the Foreign Office his telegrams in

which he complained that his liberty

of action had been compromised by your

communicating the draft treaty to the

Hong Kong merchants without prior

consultation and before he had taken

the Shanghai merchants into his

confidence on the subject. This also

deprived Sir M. Lampson of the

advantage of an element of surprise in

dealing with the Chinese authorities.

The Foreign Office have also no-failed to

reminded us that this is not the first

time that you have gone further than They consider

safe in communicating to others the

confidential documents forwarded to you

for your personal guidance. You will

no doubt remember the Secretary of State's

telegram