CO129-563-5 Macao- relationship with Hong Kong 6-7-1937 - 13-12-1937 — Page 51

COPY.

(* 19058/31/36)

No. (10/146)

My dear Roberts,

51

BRITISH EMBASSY,

LISBON.

8th October, 1937.

I am sorry to have to keep badgering you about

the Osprey machines which the Portuguese Government need

urgently at Macau (see your telegram No. 141 and connected

correspondence). My only excuse is that I am being "got at"

daily and have almost exhausted my stock of temporising

replies.

Hawkers' local agents have shown me a telegram

showing that Hawkers themselves are willing to do all possible

to supply the need of the Portuguese Government, but they

urge strong action by the Embassy with the object of inducing

the Admiralty to agree.

The position, as I understand it, is that the Fleet

Air Arm have only a small reserve of Ospreys and cannot at

present see their way to cough up four from that source.

But I understand that the Osprey is really little more than

a converted Hind and as Hawkers are willing and anxious to

play up, it looks as though they would be able to hand over

four Ospreys to the Admiralty in a very short time as they

are still turning out Hinds. In any case, I believe the

Fleet Air Arm has plenty of Ospreys in service. Cannot they

be induced to take the little risk there is and, in view of

Hawkera' attitude, get an undertaking from them to fill the

zep, quam celerrime?

If it is a question of price, I gather that the

Portuguese Government will not boggle over-much on this

W. Bt. C. koberta, Esq., G.M.G., M.C.,

Foreign Office.

score./