[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government]
CHINA.
G
CONFIDENTIAL.
C
O
[April 1.] 24757
SECTION 6.
KES
RE 20 MAY 21
F 1166/309/10]
(No. 67.) My Lord.
No. 1.
Sir B. Alston to Earl Curzon.-(Received April 1.)
Peking, February 5, 1921.
I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith a summary of the intelligence reports of His Majesty's consular officers in China for the quarter ended the 30th September last, which has been compiled by Mr. R. Dunbar, third secretary to His Majesty's Legation.
Copies to Tokyo, India, Hong Kong and Admiral.)
I have, &c.
B. ALSTON.
Enclosure.in No. 1.
Summary of Intelligence Reports of His Majesty's 'onsular Officers in China for quarter ended September 30, 1920.
Ningpo.
PERHAPS the only incident in a tranquil quarter was the insult offered to Shen Chin-chien, recently appointed Civil Governor in succession to Ch'i Yao-chien, on his arrival at Hangehow Station, where his luggage and person were searched by the military authorities, and all arms confiscated on the ground that the number of revolvers did not correspond with the number given in the Ministry of War's permit. Shen appears to be a man of stronger character than his predecessor, and is no doubt under orders from Peking to bide his time; outwardly, at any rate, no notice has been taken of the incident.
Tuchun Lu Yung-hsiang remains in a very strong position, and it is difficult to see how he can be turned out, unless one of his generals is bought over. He has received a check over the Defence Commissionership at Shanghai which has been transferred from his control to that of Li Shun, but this is more apparent than real, as his nominee, Ho Feng-lin, retains his position.
The boycott of Japanese goods, maintained strictly throughout the June quarter, appears during the past three months entirely to have lapsed.
Swntow
The local situation and the entire course of events during the period under review have been completely dominated by the revolt, headed by Chen Chiung Ming, against the Kwangsi invaders of the Kwangtung province. Actual fighting Swatow has been spared, and, indeed, there appears to have been very little within the district, most of it having occurred in the neighbourhood of the East River; but the general feeling of insecurity and the forced calls for funds to meet military expenses and other require ments of the Kwangtung forces have dealt a serious blow to the port and district.
Brigandage, as is to be expected during such a critical period, has increased beyond measure, rendering both land and water routes unsafe. That no British interests have been directly affected is no doubt due to the fact that inland transport was regarded as much too precarious to allow of any risks in this direction,
The students have prosecuted most vigorously the anti-Japanese boycott, having held burnings of low-grade" goods at Cheng-hai and Ch'ao-yang on the 12th and 14th July respectively. About the same time they held an indiguation meeting in Swatow, attended by merchants and gentry of the district, to denounce the proposed concession to Japan of the construction of the Nan-ch'ung-Ch'ao-chow-fu Railway. which, incidentally, is a British option.
[6047 a- 6]
B
595