COPY.
(F 1431/18/10.)
No. 205 (1852/23).
Copies to Tokyo, India, Hongbong, đ.0 đ, dmiral, Canton, Hankow, Shanghai, Tientsin, Mukden, Yunnan, Kashgar,
My Lord,
223
British Legation,
Peking,
March 24th, 1923.
2.
I have the honour to submit the following report on
recent developments in the political situation in China since
the date of Mr. Olive's despatch No. 89 of the 3rd ultimo.
The Administration, the formation of which under
General. Chang Shou-tseng as Premier was reported in the
despatch above referred to, succeeded in surmounting the usual
financial orisis at the Chinese New Year by means of an
Opportune release of salt funds. Out of this money instalmerte
of back pay were given to the Peking Police and the staffs of
the various Ministries and administrative departments of the
metropolis, while the rest probably went to satisfy the
demands of Ta'ao Kun, Wu Pai-fu, and Feng Yu-halang.
There
was talk of yet another internal lɔan issue, but it soon
became apparent that in the absence of any definite foreign
controlled security it would be impossible to induce the
Chinese bankers to subscribe, and the project, after having
been adversely voted on by Parliament (one of the few useful
aots so far to the credit of that body) was dropped. These
recurrent financial crises on the Chinese settlement days and
the way they are surmounted show how the authority and (apart from the demanda of their military masters) the responsibili- ties of the so-called Central Government of China tend more and more to be limited to the administration of the city and
environs of Peking.
3./
The Marquese Carson of Kedleston, K.G., G.0.§.I., G.Ç.I.E..
eto..
etc.,
eto.. FOREIGN OFFICE.