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8.
As to using Colonel Ride and some of his officers to establish emergency British administration, this posed the question of pre-liberation activity. Lieutenant-Colonel Molony said that he thought the telegram proposing this scheme was just about to be issued. It would go to General Hayes and in accordance with the suggestion that it contained
in paragraph (4)(a), General Hayes would no doubt approach Colonel Ride. It must be expected that Colonel Ride would not react favourably and Mr. Paskin pointed out that he might, in fact, influence the General to the extent of his deciding hot to use the B.A.A.G. organisation. Mr. MacDougall thought that, in fact, Colonel Ride would not raise any obje ction to heading an emergency administration since if the need for such action arose it could only be because the Chinese themselves had "broken faith". Mr. Paskin suggested, however, that the Foreign Office should send a telegram to the Ambassador emphasising that the services of B.A.A.G. personnel should be used in whatever capacity was most conducive to the furtherance of British policy in South China which includes especially the re-establishment of British authority in Hong Kong. It was agreed that the draft of this telegram should be prepared in the Colonial Office and be sent to the Foreign office.
9. Mr. Sterndale Bennett raised the question of the size of the emergency party. Mr. Gent said that inly about fifteen or twenty persons were visualised - merely sufficient to form a rallying point for local Chinese and other pro-British elements.
10.
Mr. MacDougall suggested that it would be very useful to have Colonel Ride back in this country for a short time. It was agreed that the appropriate time would be when General Hayes had been able to evolve a scheme for an emergency party, as proposed, when Colonel Ride might come home for discussion of it with departments here.
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