CONFIDENTIAL
BY SAFE HAND
No. 2
(& 2 copies)
Copies to:-
Forei gn Office No. 130
(& 2 copies)
WHAMPOA
PORT DEVELOPMENT
Governor, Hongkong, No.172
Sir,
British Consulate-General,
CANTO N.
3rd December 1938.
61
With reference to my despatch No. 211 of November
21st, I have the honour to enclose a copy of an extract from the "Field Telegraph News", No. 16 of November 30th, 1938, issued at Canton by the Japanese Army Report Depart- ment,relating to the possible future development of the
port of Whampoa.
2.
This "Field Telegraph News" is a news sheet issued daily by the Japanese Army of Occupation in Canton in both English and Chinese and normally contains items of
Japanese propaganda. While it is often difficult to follow the articles which appear in this publication owing to their quaint English phraseology, the article under reference definitely forecasts Japanese development at Whampoa to the extent envisaged in paragraph 10 of my
despatch under reference.
His Excellency
3.
It appears that the Japanese do not consider that such development (which falls far short of the previous Chinese scheme, but which would adequately serve Japanese purposes) would be either difficult or costly, and the reference to the "snatching away" of the prosperity of Hongkong which is expected to be the logical sequel to such development of Whampoa as is contemplated in this article may not be without significance.
4.
Nothing is known at this office of Mr. Kitamura.
Sir Archibald Clark Kerr, K.C.M.G..
Etc., etc., etc.,
His Majesty's Ambassador,
SHANGHAI
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your Excellency's most humble
obedient servant,
(Sgd.) A.P. Blunt
CONSUL-GENERAL.
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