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7
PARAPHRASE
POLITICAL
CHINA
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245
No.38
TELEGRAM
Sir J.Jordan (Peking) January 21st 1920.
D. 11.55 p.m. January 21st, 1920.
R. 11.0 p.m. January 22nd 1920.
fery Urgent My telegram 616.
Harbour Works are being continued by Governor of Macao and Chinese gunboats are on the way to stop them. Portuguese Charge d'Affaires on 17th January showed me a telegram from Governor of Macao in which he announced imminent arrival of
Chinese gunboats under orders of Peking Government and threat- ened retaliatory measures against North Chinese refugees in Portuguese territory. I advised him to urge Governor of Macao to exercise caution (Tand) to make enquiries of Wai-Wu-Pu. Latter contested right of Macao Government to proceed with Works, and while denying that gunboats had been sent by them, disclaimed all responsibility for action of Canton Authorities, over whom they could exercise no control. Fortuguese Charge d'Affaires telegraphed to Governor of Macao in this sense but the latter is a naval officer who pays scant respect to diplomatic matters; he appears to be determined to proceed with works.
As the matter has reached a critical stage, at the re- quest of Portuguese Charge D'Affaires I am instructing His Majesty's Consul General at Canton to do what he can to (delay?) action on the part of Canton Government, but I con- sider that if a conflict is to be avoided work on Harbour should be stopped immediately.
It is impossible to judge of rights and wrongs of dispute from here.
Repeated to Canton.. (23.1.8-4)