3929/3510/10)
Paraphrase
of telegram No. 339 to Sir B. Alston (Peking)
dated November 4th 1921.
Imediate
Macao question (Peking telegram 389)
Directly we can obtain the acquiescence
of the departments interested we intend to pursue the
following line, having in view Portugal's treaty claims.
upon us and the intransigeant standpoint taken up by the
Chinese.
(1) We think the men on the spot must settle the
affair of September 16th; but steps will be taken to
show the Chinese quite clearly that no biassed and one
sided settlement is possible and that if they take any
actively aggressive measures, His Majesty's Government
will have no option but to lend their assistance to the
Portuguese,
(11) In view of the opinion expressed by Mr.
Jamieson that China's contention is sound in equity
though not in law, His Majesty's Government will enquire
of Portuguese Government whether they are prepared to
permit the Chinese to make unrestricted use of that half
of the harbour by which their own territory can be
reached, such arrangement to be regarded as a temporary
and purely voluntary concession which shall in no way
affect
668