CO129-590-3 Entry of Chinese into Hong Kong 9-1-1941 - 7-11-1941 — Page 38

NATIONAL

CHEME

MEN

DISABLED SECRET

Dear

Genk,

The War Office,

Whitehall,

S.W.1.

22 August, 1941.

38

40

39

Re your 54064/41 of 21/8.

We are grateful for your proposal to despatch

a telegram to Gear Hong Kong, which may help to solve this serious and urgent matter. We feel that unless

measures are taken in the future a good deal more energetically than they have been in the past they are unlikely to produce results.

From the point of view of defence it would probably be no exaggeration to say that all Chinamen in Hong Kong would be open to suspicion of anti-British intentions should they be present in a siege of Hong Kong as part of a beleaguered populace. We feel that their

The world

reactions would immediately turn to the side which appeared likely to be the probable winner. situation and other such things we feel are unlikely to influence the transient loyalty of a Chinaman.

We would suggest the addition to your telegram of a paragraph on the following lines :-

11

I am of the opinion that the considerable "influx of Chinese into the Colony in recent "months is of a size which may well compromize "the defence of the Colony. Please discuss "this matter with G.0.C. Hong Kong.

We are sending a copy of this letter to Mr Sterndale-Bennett, Foreign Office, and to Colonel Price, War Cabinet Offices.

Yours sincerely F.C. Scott.

G.E.J. Gent, Esq., C. M. G., D.S.0., 0.B.E., M.C.,

Colonial Office,

Downing Street,

S.W.1.