CO129-562-20 Whompoa Port- development 19-2-1937 - 4-4-1938 — Page 14

ND. SECRET

Sir,

38

14

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HỒNG KÔNG,

31st August, 1937.

(23)

Enclosure 1.

Enclosure 2.

·

440

197

42

(ading, Copy & genell. to

wt.

FO.

43

ART 444

Tressy 45 1

With reference to your Secret (2) despatch

of 8th July, 1937, on the subject of the development

of the Port of Whampoa I have the honour to transmit

copies of a letter of 14th August, from the British

Consul-General in Canton, with two enclosures, and of

my reply of today's date.

2.

The complacency with which the possible

emergence of this rival port is regarded by Hong Kong

may be further justified by the following quotation

from a letter written by Mr. Blunt on the subject of

the dredging contract mentioned in the second paragraph

of my Secret (2) despatch of 20th May, 1937:-

3.

"The Netherlands Harbour Works Company told my

informant that as they were being paid so much per

cubic metre it was up to the Chinese Government

to decide when enough money had been wasted. I

am also told that the Company, who were the

sole tenderers, stated that they would lose no

money if they received only half the contract

price".

As regards "the alternative channel across the Lintin Flats" referred to in the fifth paragraph

&

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

W.G.A.ORMSBY-GORE, P.C., M.P.,

&C.,

&C., &c.