CO129-622-3 War damage compensation- requisitioned railway stores and materials 19-1-1948 - 31-12-1948 — Page 94

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THE JARDINE ENGINEERING CORPORATION, LID,, HONGKONG.

29th July, 1946.

93

The Accountant General,

Government of Hongkong,

Prince's Building,

HONGKONG.

Dear Sir,

Claims in respect of Materials, etc. the Property of the Chinese Government, Ministry of Communications, detained in Hongkong by order of the Hongkong Govern- ment during 1941.

With reference to our letters of 28th May, 22nd and 24th June in which we registered claims in respect of orders placed by the War Supplies Board prior to 8th December, 1941, for and on behalf of the Chinese Government, Ministry of Communications we have now been instructed by the Ministry of Communications to register two additional claims. Explanatory notes in support of the validity of these claims are given hereunder.

During 1941 when the war in the Mid-East developed, the British Government became very interested in the stocks of railway materials in Hongkong as a rapid source of supply for the campaign in the Mid-East. This source of supply was so important that the Hongkong Government ruled that all the materials must be reserved for them, to be requisitioned against as and when required, also that none of the materials could be removed from the Colony without their consent.

Specific requisitions against part of these materials was made by the War Supplies Board during 1941, as per the claims already registered with you, but a large proportion still remained in Hongkong prior to the outbreak of the Pacific War.