| Admin History | The traditional position of the British trading houses came under threat in the late 1920's and 1930's as the Japanese sought to bring China, floundering in economic chaos and in the midst of civil war, under their hegemony. FCO do not seem to have been much interested and Jardines (W J Keswick and Dallas Bernard), Sassoons, Swires, BATs and Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank all lobbied Montagu Collet Norman persistently to put pressure on HM Government to do more to protect United Kingdom (UK) interests. A deputation saw the Chancellor in 1935 following which HM Treasury (HMT) sent Frederick Leith Ross accompanied by Rogers (Bank) to advise on currency stabilisation. Rogers was subsequently seconded to the Central Bank of China (see G14/154) and remained there until 1942; he rejoined the Chinese Government Service after the War. Otto Ernst Niemeyer was sent out in 1942 in response to a request for assistance from Chiang Kai Shek (see also G14/151). |