CO129-558-11 Mission of Sir F. Leith-Ross to China- proposals for a Hong Kong - China customs... 29-9-1936 - 30-12-1936 — Page 71

C. O.

Mr. Carstairs.

Laine

2/10/36.

Mr. Jacodi

Sent

Mr.

71

4

DRAFT MEMORANDUM ON THE TRADE RELATIONS

BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA.

Sir C. Parkinson.

Sir G. Tomlinson.

Sir C. Bottomley.

Sir J. Shuckburgh.

Permt. U.S. of S.

Parly. U.S. of S.

Secretary of State.

DRAFT.

FURTHER ACTION.

When Hong Kong was acquired

during the Opium War of 1838-42 it was a

barren and almost uninhabited island,

populated by a fishing community of, at

most, 2,000 persons. It was formally

ceded to the British Crown by the

Treaty of Nanking in 1842, by which

were opened the first five Treaty Ports.

The so-called "New Territories" were

acquired in 1898 on a ninety-nine years

lease and are recognized in the terms

of transfer as an extension of British

territory. No rent is paid in respect

of this area, in which respect it

differs from the various foreign

Concessions in Canton, Shanghai, Hankow,

Tientsin and elsewhere. The whole

territory of the Colony of Hong Kong is

thus