}
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government, and should be returned to the Foreign Office when done with unless required for official use.
AMENDED COPY
CHINA
MILITARY
Decypher, Sir J. Jordan (Pekin)
July 31st.1916.
D. 9.0 p.m.
July 31st.1916.
R. 9.30 p.M.
No. 235.
463
My telegram No. 126.
Situation at Canton continues to be critical and as telegraphic communication with Hongkong is out news comes through slowly. Japenese gunboat, which was sent to protect Japanese community and if necessary remove them, arrived there July 30th. Heavy firing coincident with her arrival indicates according to His Majesty's Consul General that insurgents had prior information
of her coming.
It is probable that struggle at Canton foreshadows
Lung a similar trial of strength for power at Peking. Chi(?)Kuang-si represents military element and has
his opponents have backing support of Prime Minister:
of extreme radicals at Shanghal headed by Tang-chao-yi who aims at ousting Premier and establishing an adminis- tration which shall be independent of the Military. General impression here is that these two elements are likely to come into collision sooner or later.
Repeated to Hongkong.