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refused to withdraw and to leave in the lurch
some 30,000 friendly Chinese, whose lives would
be placed in danger.
The new situation, as disclosed in the
telegrams quoted, was that a certain Wang-chi,
late of the Pekin gendarmerie, had endeavoured
to blackmail the Kailan Chamber of Commerce
to the extent of 100,000 dollars, on the threat
that if the demand were refused, 3,000 men
under his control would be let loose. The
threat, if carried out, might easily develop
into danger to life and not merely to property.
In the circumstances, Sir Miles Lampson,
who had hitherto opposed the dispatch of troops
to the mining area, considered that the position
was fundamentally changed, and definitely
advocated the immediate dispatch of troops
to protect both life and property from these
brigands.
Sir Miles Lampson was in communication
with the General Officer Commanding, who was
reported to the Cabinet to be willing to
remove a battalion if he were not prohibited
from doing so by his present instructions.
The Secretary of State for War informed the
Cabinet that the military opinion of the Chief
of the Imperial General Staff was still opposed
to the dispersion of the small British forces
in China in detachments. He recognised, however,
that important political considerations were
involved, and that the Cabinet must decide on
2.
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