CO129-571-16 New Territories 13-4-1938 - 12-12-1938 — Page 146

Copy to F.O.

Secret

Tong hong.

نعها

Government House,

Dear N. Ormsby. fore

7th May 1938

I have discussed the question raised in my secret

person 1 letter to you of April 13th, viz. the desirability

of strengthening or lengthening our hold over the New Ter-

ritories, with the Ambassador and the Admiral, both of whom

strongly support it in principle.

The latter was particularly insistent upon the

essential importance of the islands lying around Hong Kong

from the point of view of naval defence. On the landward side,

as you no doubt know, our main line of "fence no- lies some

miles within the leased area.

I shewed the letter also to Sir Tric Tolt-"ilson

during his visit here.

The Right Honourable,

7.G.A. Ormsby-Gore, P.J., M.R.

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Incirely

J. Ond. Mathect