| Summary: |
Family affairs, work on the house and garden at Woodside, visits from job applicants, reading and occasional theatre and concert visits, and regular travels to London to the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC), P&O and London University meetings. The main business of the year, which Addis records in detail, concerns Chinese settlements and railway loans and he mentions meetings with Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) members Boothby, Morris, Leveson, Bernard and Barnes in London and correspondence with Grayburn in Hong Kong in which he discusses these matters and expresses increasing anxiety over Japanese policies and the future of the Chinese Consortium.
JANUARY Many detailed references to China policy and to meetings at the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) and the Bank of England.
FEBRUARY Continued work on China questions.
MARCH 'Much talk with Barnes, Boothby, Morris and Leveson about Chinese proposals for settlement of Nanking', 3; makes speech in Paris to the American Club on 'Modern Monetary Technique'.
APRIL Has article rejected by Nineteenth Century, 'the first, I think, article of mine to be declined', 2; to Tangier with wife.
MAY Attends harmonious Consortium Council meeting, 'Gained my objective of freedom of action in Canton-Maihsien (sic) negotiations. A burden which has been weighing on me for the last six months is lifted', 6; continued Consortium and Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) work; to Paris.
JUNE In Paris, dines with Monnet, 'I like him but do not trust him', 1; and meeting with H.H. K'ung, Chinese Minister of Finance; continued work on Chinese currency loan and Consortium matters including meetings with T.K. Tseng and disappointment at Leveson's policy, 'the policy I have pursued for 15 years, of co-operation on equal terms of Anglo-Chinese Groups, nullified', 24; to P&O and London University meetings; wedding of daughter Rachael; meetings at Treasury over Morocco censor problem; introduced to King George VI.
JULY China, (Canton-Meihsien loan) question still of prime importance; agreement signed, 'what a relief', 30; to Paris.
AUGUST Meetings at Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) over Pu Liang agreement, signed 'Laus Deo', 4, but work on it continues; anxiety over Sino-Japanese fighting in Shanghai and its effect on securities.
SEPTEMBER Little to do, 'Depression in City amounts to stagnation. All securities (Eastern) heavily marked down', 7; visited by Chinese students, financed by remitted Boxer indemnity money; much anti-Japanese feeling in London and appeals for relief in China.
OCTOBER To Paris; meeting on China Famine Relief fund; pessimism about the future, 'The international outlook - Spain and China - is gloomy indeed. Mussolini and Hitler portents of evil and opposed to them - mediocrities', 11; to P&O centenary service; to Southwold for St Felix Council meeting.
NOVEMBER Problems at the P&O over low dividends, followed by a call for an inquiry; discussion at the Bank of England on Norman's successor.
DECEMBER Wedding of son Tom, 4; to Paris, P&O accounts still under discussion, meets Japanese ambassador who 'read an officially expressed statement of Japan's "peaceful" policy in China.' 16.
|
