CO129-567-4 Traffic of arms to China and Japanese air-raids on Kowloon-Canton railway 3-1-1938 - 3-5-1938 — Page 128

COPY

SECRET

AR MAIL

sir,

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONG KONG.

128

57

18th January, 1938.

I have the honour to confirm my secret

telegram No. 16 dated 15th January, 1938, which reads

as follows;·

"Your telegram No.242. Bridge completed

and through traffic possible though road

works not yet complete. Despatch follows

by Air Mail".

and to inform you that the temporary bridge over the

Shum Chun river was completed on 31st December, 1937,

and that communication by road with China is now

possible though considerable work still remains to be

done before the road works in British Territory

can be regarded as complete.

2.

In this connection I would request your

authority in accordance with Colonial Regulation

No.265 for the additional expenditure of $18,716.50

in excess of the estimate of $85,000 which was given

in my secret telegram No.267 dated 4th November, 1937.

The original estimate did not allow for the cost of

bridge building as it was thought that the temporary

bridge in process of construction by the Chinese

Government would be completed by them and would prove

adequate for immediate purposes.

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

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

etc., etc., etc.,

3.