HWB 13/22
SAVING DESPATCH
RESTRICTED
From the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs
To the Officer Adainistering the Government of HONG KONG
Date
NO.
189
Saring
姐
Your telegram No.1355 and ours No.1954
Adveres Publicity on Hong Kong
38
Te append extracts from P. & O's reply to the approach envisaged in our telegram, from which it is clear that the situation in the Middle East and not Hong Kong has governed the Company's amendment of their sched les:-
'the two passenger ships which are regularly engaged in the trade between Europe and the Far East, "CATHAY" and "CHITRAL", are now taking longer to make their voyages than previously owing to the closure of the Suez Canal, with the result that they cannot now make as many calls at Hong Kong in the course of a year as they would have under norual circumstances. Instead of the sight voyages a year they would have made, on which they would have called at Hong Kong outwardbound and homewardbound, they will now only complete about seven voyages and will be terminating at Hong Kong instead of Japan, with the result that they will only be naking one call there on each voyage instead of two. However, their calls will be for periods of four or five days instead of two calla of two days each, so that the time spent in Hong Fong will be about the same.
We have also had to cancel one call at Hong Kong by our "TRERIA” which should have been there from 29 February to 2 March 1968. This is also the result of the closure of the Sues Canal, since the diversion via the Cape does not leave the ship time to go up to Hong Kong on her way from Australia to U.K.
LAST
RI.
24A
RYGGT ICTED
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