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14
NO CONTIDENTIAL.
HONGKONG.
¡REC
47018
REG 2 OCT 16
GOVERNMENT HOUSE.
648
24th August, 1916.
{
Sir,
Gov
In continuation of my Confidential Despatch of
the 11th August, I have the honour to report that the situation in Canton has recently assumed a more favourable aspect. General Lung has been hard pressed but has succeeded in beating off many determined attacks upon his forces. The fighting has in some instances been severe and so close to Shamien that several Chinese employed there have been wounded by stray bulleti of which the compound of the British Consulate-General has re- -ceived many.
The Central Government has recently adopted a considerably firmer attitude, and has despatched reinforcements from neighbouring Provinces to General Lung's assistance while actively negotiating with Sham Tsen-huen to buy him off.
2.
A new Civil Governor of the Kwangtung Province, Mr. Chu Hin-lan, arrived in the Colony on the 20th August and proceeded to Canton on the 23rd August. I exchanged visite
with Mr. Chu who also lunched at Government House. His mission is to get rid of Shum Tsen-huen and Li Lit-kwan and ultimately of General Lung himself. Chan Kwing-ming has also to be dis- -posed of. Mr. Chu recognises that his task is a heavy one and he would not commit himself on the subject of the prospect of
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
ANDREW BONAR LAW, M.P.,
&C..
&c..
&c...
success
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