CO129-518-3 Proposals to hold periodical conferences between principal British authorities in China- and the government in... 13-8-1929 - 31-12-1929 — Page 36

Confidential

Extract from a/despatch from the Governor of

Hong Kong to the Secretary of State for the

Colonies dated 31 st May, 1929.

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36

I venture to avail myself of this

opportunity to make one further recommendation.

It

In

my opinion, British interests in China suffer severely from the fact that the principal authorities concerned, namely, His Majesty's Minister at Peking, the Naval Commander-in-Chief, the General Officer, China Command,

and the Governor of Hong Kong, seldom have an

opportunity of conferring together in person. often happens that the Naval Commander-in-Chief, the General Officer China Command, whose headquarters are

now in Hong Kong, and the Governor of Hong Kong can confer together, especially during the winter months, when most of His Majesty's ships are as a rule in Hong Kong; but it very seldom happens that these three

I have now are joined by His Majesty's Minister.

been Governor of Hong Kong since the 1st November,

1925. It has been a period of continuous storm and

stress and during it British interests in China have

But through- been repeatedly and seriously attacked.

out this period it has not once happened that all the

four British authorities I have named were able to

meet in conference. I consider that it would be of

great benefit to His Majesty's service in the Far East

if these four officers could, as a matter of routine,

meet