G:EW
49.
SECRET
50
18th August, 1937.
Sir,
I have the honour to inform you that
on 14th August Colonel Li Fong, representing the Mayor
of Canton, came to see me on the subject of road communication between Canton and Hong Kong. I promised
to look up previous correspondence on this subject and
have now done so.
2.
According to my records the latest paper
which you have on this subject is the Trade Commissioner's letter No. 38 of 17th November, 1936, which went to you under his No. 53 of the same date; and Mr. Phillips' confidential
letter No. 17 of 15th March, 1935, to Sir William Peel is also
relevant.
3.
Previous discussions are, however, not altogether relevant to the present situation and Canton's avowed object
now is to have an additional avenue for munitions in view of
the prospects of blockade at Chinese ports.
4.
I once again firmly repudiated any idea of possible alliance against a common foe, and I think we should maintain the "peace-time" view that has frequently been put to the Canton authorities, (a) that if a road from Canton is constructed to
a point somewhere near Sham Chun it will be a comparatively easy matter to effect a connection with our own road system
(b) that for military reasons we should prefer the frontier to be crossed by the existing milway bridge at Sham Chun.
His Britannic Majesty's Consul-General,
CANTON.
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