CO129-586-6 Administration of the port of Hong Kong 27-1-1940 - 24-7-1940 — Page 46

4, MILLBANK,

WESTMINSTER,

61

44

LONDON, S. W. 1.

(ABBEY 7730)

Dear Burus 17th June 1940.

60

(67) peux

I have your letter of the 14th about the Hong Kong enquiry. We have one man here who had experience of port works with the P.L.A. in 1915-1921. He is Foxlee, one of Spiller's Deputy Chief Engineers, a full member of the Institute of Civil Engineers and an excellent man. He is, however, 55 and I feel that he is a little too senior for the position which you now have in ́view. Perhaps it will be best to wait and see what the Hong Kong Government think of the new proposal.

If you see no objection, I suggest that you might mention to the Governor when you write the possibility of Coode going out in the capacity originally proposed by Hong Kong. The Governor may think that the objections are not of prime importance and that criticism would come, if at all, from quarters carrying no great influence.

Toms

Sir Alan Burns, K.C.M.G.