fco-21-93-foreign-including-british-banks-and-problem-of-staffing — Page 11

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Manage of the Stig King thangal Bank. It's releef amed om a fan ago, but
the Chinese authoutie ара will not grant them Exit Dumes

о

ento mine

Mon 7/5

a

ли

Shanghar

Is et posible for pa to ale pou influence on then behalf."

I blame myself of not mithune to disturade them for -Making been a
neudmi & China

+ 1908:36 I how have unpredictable,

suchmore majk.

I nuut beat smithing

пил

th

кто

can be direc for their reban v

Hanking dar

fous smearity

Glue X. Squee

RECEIVED IN

ARCHIVES No.31

- 3 MAY 1968

FCS/4

Cypher/Cat A

PEKING

Telno 5/2

CONFIDENTIAL

TO

CONFIDENTIAL

FOREIGN OFFICE

2 May 1968

RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No.31

-2 MAY 1868-

73

F2514.

77

Addressed to Foreign Ofrice telegram No. 5/2 of 2 way, Repeated for
information to Hong Kong.

Your telegram No. 416: Shanghai Banks.

We told Johnston by telephone today of Canning's visa, and he was
naturally delighted. He assumes that Canning is still planning to arrive
Shanghai during June. Johnston himself has on our advice already applied
for exit visas for himself and wife for 5 July.

2. We still do not know whether Chinese are going to issue exit visas,
and we must prevent in Canning's case a repetition of Hong Kong Bank
situation in which Lachlan was allowed in but Self not allowed to leave.
Self last week applied for exit visas for himself and wife for 6 May and
for Croziers for 31 May. If these are issued Johnston will almost
certainly get theirs; but if not the Chartered Bank will have to be
asked to consider carefully whether Canning should come.

Foreign Office pass Hong Kong 262.

Sir D. Hopson

[Repeated as requested]

D-PARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION

F.0.

F.E.D.

Consular Dept.

C.O. H.K.Dept.

NNNNN

CONFIDENTIAL

Tel. Set

japans

63

FC5/4.

CYPHER/CAT A

72

CONFIDENTI AL

FOREIGN OFFICE TO PEKING

TEL NO.416

29 APRIL 1968 (F)

CONFIDENTIAL

ADDRESSED TO PEKING TELEGRAM NO. 416 OF 29 APRIL REPEATED FOR
INFORMATION TO HONGKONG,

MY TELEGRAM NO 277: CHARTERED BANK.

BANK WERE INFORMED TODAY BY CHINESE MISSION THAT VISAS HAD BEEN APPROVED
FOR CANNINGS AND WIFE. THEY WILL TRAVEL DIRECT FROM AMRITSAR ABOUT END
MAY.

2. BANK ALSO ARE INFORMED THAT VISAS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR CHILDREN FOR
SUMMER HOLIDAYS.

SOSFA

DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION:

FO: F.E.D.

CONSULAR DEPT

CO: H.K. DEPT

Sadaladala

CONFIDENTI AL

50949

60.000

ARE.W.LIB.

AGEN GOLDE LAN

(GETCHI

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN.

Registry No.

Top Secret.

Fcs/4.1

POTEKBENCY INUÉDIATE

PAJORITY

ROUTINE

Confidential,

Resepicted.

Qées.

Draft.

Telegram to:

wich

72

* Date and time (G.M.T.) telegram should

reach addressee(s).

(Date)...

Despatched

----------

priority

2914

05.10./30

rithout

-DEFERRED

[Security classification] -if any

[Codeword-if any]

Addressed to...........

-------

CONFIDENTIAL

Beting

not be OKAN

No.

416

telegram No..........

(Date)

And to:-

29/4

Repeat to:

Nory Mary 438

En Clair. Gode Cypher

Distribution :

Departmental

F.E.D

Kamalar Deph

H.K.D.

Copies to

--------------------------------- intert

..(date).......

HAĻAI UEHARAMSALU probatek dempore---------opiskopskaINTERESANTINIA

repeated for information to........... Mary Kang

Our telegram No 277 [ Chartered Bank]

Wele

Bank Jinformed today by

HAP Been koendiri

Find beingynoved

Chinese

Mission that visas for CANNINGS and

wife. They will

travel direct from

AMRITSAR

..

Bank also did that-

Pave informed

about end May in

visas will be available for children

shumm or

holiday?

о

11.30729142

니고

بابا

Molig fil

1

Floy

Mr. Def Mr. Muygray.

Reference; RECEIVED IN

AR FIVES No.31

→0 APR 1968

FE874

ittaff of Position Banter in China.

Quer telynam N° 2ra

& Peking Cradocki

в взрив

Flay

Better to John Benson of 8 Apul and my uply

Fly @ 25 Quil

7

2. Mr Arther of

He

Chartered Bank telephones

me the morning

to inform

that the

Chinese Phusion

Leve

had

Lala

the Bank

that the application for exting vison for

M..

Pl. CANNINGS

Lad

Ален

bank ales understood

thank

The

appressed.

Le

would

важку

available for the bannery: live

children to

them for

the

holidays

3.

the banning,

валлу

Arre

to haveh

are

Chura

ot

te

pureel from Amrition

Peking

next-

month

.

I attach a

мужину

draft telpan informing

Внекл

land

2/

(FC 5/4)

DiD

COFFIDENTIAL

FOREIGN OFFICE, 8.W.1.

25 April, 1968.

SR25/4

70

Thank you for your letter PEK/5 of 8 April to John Denson about the
problems of the British Banks in Shanghai. John is at present in
Brussels so that I am replying in his absence.

2. I have spoken to senior representatives of both Banks but have failed
to completely clarify the position of either of them. The Bong Kong Bank
have confirmed that they have no intention at present of sending any
further officers into China until at least one of those at present there
has been allowed to leave. They do not intend to withdraw the
application for a visa for Robertson but are assuming that if the
Chinese are not reminded of it, it will not at this late stage be
granted. They may of course have to think again if the Chinese make it
plain that they will not allow the Croziers out until a replacement has
arrived in China. You will know that the head office of the Bank is in
Hong Kong and it is there that a final decision will be taken on whether
or not to attempt the closure of the Shanghai office. The London
Directors are still unsure of the Bank's position on this issue, but I
was assured that they would approach the head office to seek a speedy
decision.

3. I explained to the Chartered Bank the difficulties Mr. Canninga may
encounter over the question of his children spending their summer
holidays with their parents in China, and also your suggestion to Kr.
Johnston as to

The Bank the best way to try to arrange the handover. promised to
consider both aspects of the problem carefully, but realise that there
is still a chance that no visa for Mr. Cannings may be forthcoming I
took the opportunity to point out once again that the granting of an
entry visa to Cannings is no guarantee of an exit visa for Johnston.

રીદ

(E. J. Sherland) Per Eastern Department

P. Cradock, Esq., C.M.G.,

PEKING.

CONFIDENTIAL...

66

PER/5

Dean John,

CONFIDENTIAL

RE LIVED IN ART, WYES No.31

7 APR 368

Festa

69

Please speak to me

Office of the British

Charge d'Affaires,

PEKING.

8 April, 1968

Reply

und ofti commiting

both bandes

Bank.

Mr. Shaland

Enter

Preoccupation with other matters has delayed my reply to your letter RC
5/4 of 26 February about the problems of the British banks in Shanghai.

2. In paragraph 5 of that letter you asked for our estimate of how
serious would be the risk of adverse Chinese reactions should we press
for an entry visa for Cannings of the Chartered Bank (his name is not
Cummings, and I regret that this error originated with us) while
ignoring that for Robertson of the Hong Kong Bank. My intention in my
earlier letter to which you were referring was not to suggest the
possibility of anything so strong as an "adverse reaction" on the part
of the Chinese, but merely that to press for Cennings' visa alone might
make the Chinese suspect that the Hong Kong Bank were thinking of
closing before the latter wanted them to suspect it. I made this point
to emphasize the need for the banks to keep in close touch with one
another. If in due course we are asked to press for Canninge' visa I do
not think that we need refuse to do so simply because of uncertainty
over Robertson's position, although it would be important to warm the
Hong Kong Bank before we approached the Chinese. And I do not think that
to apply for Cannings' visa but say nothing about Robertson's would in
any way diminish the chances of the Chinese granting one to Cannings.

3. Despite this I think it would be a good thing if the Hong Kong Bank
could make up their mind soon what they want to do about Robertson and I
hope that, as indicated in your paragraph 3, they will soon be letting
us have their views on this. We are concerned about this in relation not
only to the Bank's general policy over Shanghai but also to the fate of
the Croziers whom Robertson was nominated to succeed. The Croziers have
been in China for about three years and should have left in April 1967.
They have done very well in Shanghai and by all accounts have show a
great deal more resilience than some of their seniors; but they have
considerable worries, not least the recurrent sickness of their two-year
old daughter. We are most concerned that in their anxiety to get the
Selfs out of China the Hong Kong Bank should not forget about the
Croziers; and a decision to cancel Robertson's appointment without
nominating a replacement might possibly (though not definitely) affect
the chances of Crozier getting his exit visa. I hope that the Bank will
take this into account.

All this is of course theoretical at the moment since in present
circumstances I imagine that there is no chance of even Cannings getting
his visa. When eventually we manage to bring the "visa war" to an end I
hope that there will be no further

/difficulty

liv

J. B. Denson, Esq., 0.B.B.,

Far Eastern Department.

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

lifficulty over the Chartered Bank vises (but see my next paragraph).
There should also be no trouble over the Hong Kong Bank wives. However
Crozier's visa may, as I have said, be affected by the question of a
replacement, and Self's by the investigation into the Bank's affairs
which was under way before last August.

5. Incidentally David Johnston, the present Chartered Bank manager in
Shanghai, has written to us recently to ask advice on how best to try
and avoid his hand-over to Cannings becoming

I enclose a copy a repetition of the Self-Lachlan situation.

We

of his letter, and of our reply, which is self-explanatory. are
disturbed by Johnson's reference to Cannings' two teen-age children, who
"will be joining him for the summer holidays". Admittedly it seems
probable at present that by the time Cannings gets his entry visa
(whenever that may be) conditions will have returned more or less to
normal: but this is not certain. hope it has not been concealed from
Cannings that if he and his wife get their entry visas it does not
necessarily mean that their children will get them, and that even if the
children do get them they may not find the atmosphere all that pleasant.

I

Yours

Rach

(P. CRADOCK)

CONFIDENTIAL

L

Office of the British

Chargé d'Affaires,

PEKING.

8 April, 1968.

Thank you for your letter of 27 March asking our advice about applying
for your exit visa and the handing over of the Bank's management to
Gannings.

In general I think that you would be well advised to stick

There is to the normal procedure as far as possible. certainly no point
in trying to seek assurances from the Shanghai authorities that
Canning's visa will only be granted if your exit visa is also to be
granted within three weeks of his arrival. It might however be a good
idea for you to make your application for an exit visa rather earlier
than usue 1 in fact immediately, now that Cannings application is in and
explain to the local authorities that you are doing this in order to
give them plenty of advance warning since the intention is that Mr.
Cannings should succeed you and you wish to be able to hand over to him
and to leave yourself immediately on his arrival, In this way you will
have done all you can to avoid misunder- standing.

-

If we have any further thoughts on this question we will of course let
you have them, I am sure you will not besitate to write to us again on
the subject if necessary.

I hope you will have received my manuscript letter which

Te arossed with yours and that you are all still well. shall be
interested to bear whether you manage to get to Hangchow for Easter,

D.C. Johnston, Esq., Chartered Bank,

Shanghai.

(A.J. Fhunter)

I

+

Lavract from letter to A.J, Hunter (Peking) from D.C. Johnston
(Chartered Bank, Shanghai) dated 27 March.

When I wrote to you previously it was about the application forme for an
entry via for my successor, Ron Cannings and hie wife. These forms have
been obtained and the application lodged with the Chinese Legation in
London.

I have nor had another letter from him saying that they, Basuring they
get their visas, will be arriving here via Hong Kong about the middle of
June, and their daughter aged 18 end son aged 15 will be joining them
for the summer holidays. Ee doesn't onite seer to have got the message I
tried to convey in my first latter to him, but never mind, The purpose
of this letter is to ask you what can be done in an endeavour either to
prevent them coming in if Elizabeth and I are not going to get èxit
permite after the Certificate of Chenge of Management has been lodged or
to give ga " reasonable chance of getting exit nermits in the event of
the Cannings petting their entry visas, Our procedure in the pest for
the out- going officer has been to apply for his exit permit only after
the change of asragenent has been approved. Would it help, do you think,
if I applied now adding to the application that Cannings is not to be
allowed in, unless we are going to get our exit permite within three
weeks of his arrival? This of course might lead to Cennings never
getting in at all. On the other hand if Cennings added to his
application that, if he was given entry, it would be on the
understanding only thet I soild leve within three weeks of his arriv¬l,
The authorities could then of course hold us up over the change of
manazement approval, I do realise that we are entirely in their hands,
but if your fertile imagination can come up with some surpestien I shëll
be forever grateful,

·

We are thinking of asking Cannings to apply for accommod-tion in the
Pence Hotel, At all events we naturelly wish to prevent a recurrence of
what happend to the Selfs,

I have a feeling though that Just to adopt the usual procedure aight pay
off best.

The Bank of China very kindly approved our application for closing for
Easter within one day and we are now wondering if our aplications to go
to Hangchow will be anroved.

יז

7

66

FEB/4.

CONFIDENTIAL

Cypher/Cat A

PRIORITY

Telno 277

FOREIGN OFFICE TO PEKING

21 March 1968

(F)

CONFIDENTIAL

68

Addressed to Peking telegram No. 277 of 21 March. Repeated for
information to Hong Kong.

Denson's letter FC 5/4 of 13 March to Cradock; Chartered Bank,

Bank have today applied in London for Chinese Entry Visa for Cummings.

SOSFA

FILES

F.0.

F.E.D.

Consular Dept.

C.O. H.K.D.

CONFIDENTIAL

Pa

:

Registry No.

DEPARTMENT

Fer14

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

Top Secret

Secret

Confidential

Restricted

Unclassified

In Confidence

PRIORITY MARKINGS

(Date)...

Flash

Immediate }*

Priority

* Date and time (G.M.T.) telegram should--

Despadine

reach addressor(s).

23

720.

(68

---------¬I

CYPHER

Security classification"

PRIVACY MARKING

[Sec

[

En Clair. Code Cypher

Z | Draft Telegram to:-

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

No

Reting

if any tion]

Privacy marking ]

-if any

[Codeword-if any]

Addressed to

telegram No... 272

277

And to

21/3

1.

(Date) repeated for information to

And to:-

Repeat to:

Saving to..

DENSON

Leking

ILL.

CONFIDENTIAL

Co

(date)

bros MatH++ ----------------|

22. tharch ม

PIR P----‒‒ALIPID

Dory Kong

Denson's letter FC 5/4 of 13 March to

Hong Kong 517

bradock: Charlend Bank.

Saving to:-

in London

Bank have today applied [ for

CUMMINGS.

Chinare Entry Visa for cummings.

Distribution:-

F Comutar Dept. long thong Best

Copies to:-

1340/20/32

21

I

I

Ed (4206)

I

Reference.......

67

Denison

RECEIVED IN

ARCHIVES NO.31.

22 MAR 1938

The Chartend Bank have just telephoned

FELT s

to inform

A

that they

have

applied for

the

Shiner entry visa for

M.. Cummings.

replacement manager for their thaughan brouch.

I attach a

telegram informing Aling

and Hong Kong.

Telegram sent

sent for Desparm

'' ཙ ''

Me shape

Ra

√2574

64

CONFIDENTIAL.

FOREIGN OFFICE, 8.#.1.

13 March, 1968.

64

Thank you for your letter PEK/1 of 26 February in which you reported the
impressions of a member of the French Embassy, who recently visited
Shanghai.

2. We have infomed the banks of the general situation of their people
without giving the source

ituat of our information.

3. The Chartered Bank when we spoke to them con- firmed that they had
now obtained Mr. Cumings' pasa- port and so were in a position to ap, ly
formally for la visa for him. They have decided, however, that for

the time being no application will be put in. They will inform us when
they contemplate further action.

4.

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