fell/
The Ministry of Transport's source of information is the reports of the Director of Marine, Hong Kong. It is pretty obvious therefore that the Hong Kong Government knows all about them and in (1) has been disingenuous. We do not want to involve Hong Kong in expenditure for craft about which no-one has raised any claim, but neither the Ministry of Transport nor we, having this information about Admiralty craft, can just say nothing about it.
As regards the Ministry of Transport claim, Mr. Jones said that his Ministry would be prepared to consider any arguments we wish to put forward in favour of a reduction of the amount and he left the impression that we should probably succeed in getting some reduction.
3. In discussion later with Mr. Palmer it was thought that, when we have the fuller information weare now asking for, we might well consider an approach to the Treasury asking for the claims (Ministry of Transport, Admiralty and all) to be entirely waived. This would of course be easier if we were able to adduce any reason for belief that the craft shown in categories (a) or (b) or even perhaps (c) of paragraph 2 of draft A, and did not fall, as seems unfortunately probable, in category (a). But even if it can be indisputably shown that they fall in category (d) (and it is by no means certain that this will be so), it still might be possible to persuade the Treasury to forego the price on general grounds- e. g.
e. g. that we are not asking for money to be paid out, that the early rehabilitation of the Colony, which demanded small craft, was in the ultimate interest of the United Kingdom, that it is a long time since these craft were handed over, that if the Hong Kong Government had not taken them their disposal on the other side of the world might have offered considerable difficulties and that, as regards the Admiralty craft, they seem to have been written off anyway.
The vaguer we can leave the origins of the craft the better chance we should have to persuade the Treasury, but if we had not done what we could to establish the facts of this matter the Treasury would certainly want to know why not, so we might as well do it now.
4. The fact that we have in mind an approach to the Treasury is of course an added reason why we cannot allow the possible Admiralty claims to lie unexamined, since any approach to the Treasury would obviously bring them to light.
5. One would like to tell Hong Kong what one has in mind, so as to explain our unseemly curiosity about the Admiralty craft, but it would not do to raise hopes which may be dashed, so we had better say nothing.
6. Mr. Jones agreed that there is no point in bringing in the Admiralty (still less the War office) at this stage and Mr.Palmer thought it possible that
it
Page
Page
amy
x as
recieres
cash
are
recounted for through
the bolonal Office for
it possible that it might never be necessary for us to bring them in, since he thought it might be that United KingdService Departments are no longer interested in recoveries of this nature from Colonial Governments.*
7.
Züm.
I showed be sutiful In
Supt. advice
as to whether
V-wallen
age 9
9
ref. para. 27 (14) + pere. 27(15), we thrill send the Treasury opies of Mr. A&B together with copies ) (13) and (8) and (1) We don't this slige wont get- morland in
argumen
with the
18.12.48.
Tresmy
On the scanty information available,
it appears that these vessels
the category of
Stores
buil Govt should pay
are
L
for which the
e.
stores
from the combatant services
There
is
---
taken over
Category (d)
however fast a
of the drafts. possibility that they may
me
A
of the category
cash adjustment (c. (as of the drafts)
cash adjustment
requied
ar
come
within
respect of which орговля is required.
LM
respect of which
has do
and
we
are
haping
be required (c. Hy or ces of
сов
we shall eventually
go to the Treasmy
an
for beer
never will its draft)
Rove
lo
adroad
this subject,
ine
west I think
and in view of No. 15,
of
let Treasury know the present portion.
mr Wallace agrees with bolk drafts.
any
Amendmast to
de fremer of
HT.B 21/12
age 9
Page
17
Jones M.O.T. We soft pe T-concureme
Page
age 10
23.12.4810
of Russell - Edmonds Try W/ 17.02nd, 4/1 puntando, 9/17-23.12.48
耕
in
Spoken Ein. A. J. Jmes. He is writing
b
перед
= (17).
Meanwhile he
frees
& wine 7 Apr. I'gem
behind (^)) tolk, subject &
"There" for townds
subject & substitution 1 worde of the Ministry of Tranport
in lines
land
it will be necessary
27 pera. 6
tark
later the
Admiralty.
for?
In this the 2.0. (thechar
13/1
Isome s'gram.
19 totong Kong. Savy 1035 - (9)ansit.
1 Green
11/1 at me. Cons. 13 JAN 1949
20 Jones M.O.T.
H Russell - Edmonds Irsy
ymerę stamp
13.1.49
Н
1
age 10Page 11
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.