Dutch Airmail

AMERICA MAIL LINE Hong Kong

Friday Morning March 22nd

My dearest All,

We have just docked at Hong Kong after 2½days from Shanghai and we sail tomorrow for Manila.

After I posted the letter in Shanghai I had an interesting time. 1 called at Reuters and then the Chief Editor for the Far East, a surprising young man said, "What are you doing for dinner tonight?" and invited me to dinner. As we went to find a taxi, a little Chinese beggar girl came up with a red face and pigtail with a ribbon and said with a Cockney accent "Gime copper.No Papa! No Mama ! No whisky soda!"

We went to the Reuter Correspondent’s flat in the Majestic Apartment which he shares with an Army Officer who is a great Polo-player. After tea we tramped through the streets of the French Settlement, to get an appetite for dinner prepared by the correspondents servant (I could not find out the Correspondents name ,although he was my host. His secretary just mumbled it when she took me in and my letter of introduction was to someone else.)

After dinner we talked and then I was taken to Shanghai dancing place where there were dancing partners provided at 6d a dance which is three times more expensive than at Bindles. Afterwards the tender left for the President Grant.

I gathered quite a lot of material on politics that day. Chiang Kai Shek seems to have almost conquered the Communists. He has got them bottled up South of Szechuan. He is in a very strong position and according to Reuters ‘s correspondent. is rapidly unifying the country.

By the way, it is highly probable after my return at the end of the year I shall be stationed in England for a year or two years. If I get a job on the M.G. or the Telegraph or Reuters. They are almost sure to put me in the Subeditors room for some time; probably my headquarters will be London after my return..

The voyager from Shanghai was not very interesting; the weather a little choppy ,dull skies .ship, rolling a little .But I am fortunate to have at my table Mr Harmon and his wife .Mr H is General Secretary of the International Council of the Y.M.C.A. for the United States and Canada a big shot. I shall stay at the Y.M.C.A.at Manila.

Yesterday I wrote two articles for the Berliner Tageblatt.nearly 4,000 words altogether. The day before that I was lazy ,read novels and stayed in bed. 1 have also been reading Prince Bulow’s Memoirs which are remarkably frank about the Kaiser and well written. I read the Golden Treasury a lot too before going to sleep. and also the "Flodengerdd"

I wonder How lanto is? I should enjoy a walk with him in the Vale of Glamorgan ,especially now that yesterday was the first day of spring.

I had a grand time when I was home especially the summers .1 think they were the best summers I have had and I die enjoy the Western Mail experience.

When you receive this you better write to me C/O Dollar Line, Hong Kong I shall be there towards the end of May. I shall be in Manila on Monday,

Hong Kong

Just lunched with Reuters correspondent ,Am lunching tomorrow with Mr David Davies.

Cariad Cynesaf Gareth.

******

Between Hong Kong and Manila Sunday March 24 1935

President Grant

My dearest Everybody,

It is a beautiful day today; hot sun, smooth sea blue sky. We are entering the Tropics and suddenly almost everybody on board has put on white or light grey clothes. I have put on my very light grey cotton (or linen) suit I bought in Tokyo. 1 worked this morning on an article for the Tageblatt and this afternoon I think I shall write one for the International News Service on Japan and Communism "bringing in my interview with General Araki.

Did I tell you that in the waiting room of the Navy Minister (Osumi) there was a huge grand piano! Whatever it is for I don’t know.

In Hong Kong I had a great time spending nearly two days there .Do you remember writing to me about Mr David Davies, Hong Kong who had made a gift to the National Library of Wales. 1 met him and he was exceedingly kind to me. But I’ll write in the order of events.

Journalists are a wonderful community everywhere and there is a fine feeling of co-operation and hospitality among them. 1 went ashore about 10.30. Friday morning .It was a curious sigh, thousands of Chinese working away carrying / iron bags and goods of all kinds .Hundreds of junks were in the river . The place teemed with life. 1 took a ferry to Hong Kong which is an Island, landed on the water-front and felt a very British atmosphere. (It was quite exciting to go to a cinema in the evening to hear "God Save the King" being played and to see everybody standing to attention.

I immediately walked along the water-front until I came to Reuters. I had a letter of introduction to a Mr Gerald York do of Reuters. I went to the office and met Mr Henry, the head there. He said that Yorke was working in the library. "But won’t you have tiffen? he said, "Come back at one o’clock". There are several working at Reuters in Hong Kong, including a man called the Hon. something or other, Ward who is the son of Earl of Dudley (is it)

I walked to the Hong Kong Morning Post where I had been told to call and had an interesting talk with the editor and others.

Then I went to see Mr David Davies who is secretary to the Colonial Secretary. He is from Phenrhyncoch, Aberystwyth, a man with a thin aquiline, very kind face with sympathetic eyes. He said "Come and have tiffen tomorrow ".

At l o’clock I took a rickshaw to Reuters and lunched with 3 correspondents. They were Varsity Blue types huge big-shouldered fellows. From their flat there was a grand view over the battleships in the bay and we saw an American cruiser firing a salute (at £5 per shot to greet the British Governor General who was on board for lunch,)

After lunch I walked to see Mr Barrett whom Tom MacDonald (Westem Mail formerly ) knew He edits a weekly called the "Critic". He was out but an Aberdonian with a whisky loving face and good humour called Thorpe was in. .He told me a lot about the fear of Japan. There are now manoeuvres in Hong Kong and they all shout that they are against Japan. Japan is absolutely smashing British trade here also.

Thorpe took me to introduce me to Mr Owen Hughes, trader and then we had tea (or at least he Thorpe had whisky!) in the Hong Kong Hotel. Who was next to us at the next table but General von Seeckt who used to be the Chief of the German Army and who has been 2 years training the Chinese Army. He oldish with a monocle, a sharp but dignified face. He was accompanied by a Chinese General in mufti.

After tea I went to a cinema (The Affair of the Cellini rather silly). Then I had dinner and one could have imagined one was in London it was so British .After that I found Gerald Yorke’s address and knocked at his door ;his Chinese servant opened. I went in Yorke’s room and saw a very tall dark-haired Old Etonian, smoking a cigar and surrounded by 19th century documents and volumes.

Yorke is a freelance who writes books and occasionally goes into the interior of China for Reuters. He was the Gerald who accompanied Fleming in "Ones Journey" through Communist areas. (the other companion of Fleming in Manchuria was none other than our old Trinity friend Viscount Clive!)

Yorke was packed with interesting material and he talked and talked - a fine conversationalist, and I learned a tremendous amount.

(I am now going out for a walk before lunch)

March 26 1 have been away 5 months to yesterday. My absence is nearly half over.

Tues March 26 Y.M.C.A. Manila ,Philippines

Here I am " sitting alone in the Y.M.C.A. singing just like a lark ."I like Manila very much .it is full interesting material.

Well Hong Kong .On Saturday morning I went to find Mr Barrett journalist, A little man like George Keavney with a beard and a big red nose; fine conversationalist. We had coffee and he asked me to come to tea.

I lunched with Mr David Davies -most kind -took me to Republic Bay ,where there is fine view. He is coming back to Wales soon for a holiday.

Then tea with the Barretts .1 made a great hit with the children -who wanted more and more stories and insisted on coming to see me sail at 6 o’clock ,. They were m most excited when I threw them coloured streamers down as the ship slowly moved out.

Quiet voyage - lovely weather to Manila. Grand place here. Shall write about it again, Have decided to go by boat to Dutch East Indies and Singapore after.

Cariad Cynesaf

Gareth.