sir,
Long Phong.
41093
Rece Ref 23 DEC |
Government House.
17th, November, 1911.
153
kamy. 36271
I have the honour to acknowledge
your cypher telegram of the 10th.instant informing
me that the War office had authorized the General
Officer Commanding, South China, to despatch all
available troops to Shanghai when called upon to
do so by me, and instructing me to co-operate in
their despatch in the event of their being required.
I at once communicated your telegram
2.
to the General Officer Commanding who in consequence
of telegrams he had already received from the War
office had already consulted with me. I suggested
to him certain possible tough, as I thought, remote
contingencies, in the situation at Canton and here,
and he then decided to hold the following troops in
readiness for immediate despatch to Shanghai: 350
British Infantry, 150 Native Infantry, 80 Artillery
and 40 ngineers, with four mountain guns and four
Maxin guns; I also telegraphed to the Consul General
at Shanghai enquiring whether there was any probability
of troops being required. The Consul General replied
that he
The RIGHT HOROURABLE,
L. V. HARCOUNT. M.P. SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES.