FO371-23518 — Page 81

F 3262/3262/10.

Sir,

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272

FOREIGN OFFICE, S.W.1.

18th April, 1939.

I am directed by Viscount Halifax to enclose

a copy of a letter from the Warden of the China Institute

to Sir John Brenan of this department, enquiring as to the

situation of Chinese students in this country in the event

of war.

2. The China Institute, I am to explain, is a club

for Chinese students controlled by the Universities China

Committee, the activities of which are financed from a

grant of £200,000 made from the accumulated British Boxer

Indemnity Funds in accordance with arrangements concluded

by His Majesty's Government with the Chinese Government

in September 1930 for the disposal of the British Boxer

Indemnity. The Foreign Office representative on this

Committee is Sir John Pratt.

3. The arrangements in question provided for the

setting up of a Sino-British Board of Trustees in China

to administer the Indemnity Funds and build up an

educational endowment. Among its other activities the

Board of Trustees, with the object of promoting cultural

relationships between China and Great Britain, grants

scholarships to selected Chinese students for study and

research in this country. At present the number of such

students in this country is 67 and in addition there are

approximately 227 other students and engineering

The Under-Secretary of State,

Home Office,

(Air Raid Precautions Department).

apprentices/

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