FO371-23523 — Page 154

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sh

Any further communication

d be addressed to:-

The Secretary of the Admiralty,

London, S.W.1.

++

M.015771/39 on the

outsof the envelope as well

as in the text.

TIONAL SCHEME

DISABLED

Sir,

CONFIDENTIAL.

109

Admiralty, S.W.1.

23rd December

.1939.

F 12998

27 DEC 1939

172456

In reply to Foreign Office letter No. F.12659/

3918/10 of the 13th instant on the subject of the withdrawal

of H.M. Ships from the upper Yangtse, I am commanded by My

Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to state that they are

in agreement with the view that two of the three Gunboats

on the upper Yangtse should be laid up for the duration of

the war.

My Lords have informed the Commander-in-Chief of

their concurrence in the proposals made in his telegram

No. 336 of the 3rd instant to lay up H.M.S. SANDPIPER and

H.M.S. GANNET leaving H.M.S. FALCON in commission, but have

instructed him to take no action on this decision pending

further instructions.

My Lords will be glad to be advised of the

arrangements to be made to notify the Governments concerned.

I am, Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

MA Phillips

The Under Secretary of State,

Foreign Office,

S.W.1,

MLL.

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