FO371-24688 — Page 51

Page 51

Page 51

Military Branch,

Admiralty, S.W.1.

SECRET AND IMMEDIATE.

28th June, 1940.

M.012313/40.

266

Dear Hynard,

With reference to our telephone conversation concerning the proposal of the Commodore, Hong Kong that he should have the right to angarize neutral shipping for the evacuation of Hong Kong if British shipping is not available, I enclose a draft telegram which I was proposing to submit for approval at the Admiralty. As you will see a number of points concerning your department are involved in this draft reply on which we would very much like your comments.

Perhaps your shipping intelligence department could advise on what shipping is using Hong Kong since if we exclude Japanese, U.S.A., Spanish and Russian ships there may not be any ships left to angarize, and the authority may therefore be an empty one.

As I understand that the question of evacuation of Hong Kong in the near future has again been raised at the Cabinet, the matter is rather urgent.

I am sending a copy of this letter with enclosure to Steel at the Foreign Office and Poynton at the Colonial Office.

Yours sincerely,

W.G. Hynard, Esq.,

Ministry of Shipping,

Berkeley 3quare House,

Berkeley Square,

W.1.

ES.

J. W. FARRELL

Page 51

Page 51