closure No. 7 AL
Cycloure 4p. 8
a military dictatorship was set up. General Ngai
Bong-ping, perhaps the most able of the Cantonese
leaders who are opposed to the Reds, managed to escape to Hongkong, and I enclose an account of
a conversation with him. I attach also a report of
a statement made by Mr. Foo Ping-sheung, Secretary
for Foreign Affairs in the Canton Government.
At the present moment Canton is controlled
by a number of Russians, who appear to be men
of considerable ability, and by a well-equipped and well-trained body of Chinese troops brought in
from distant provinces under the leadership of
General Cheung Kai-shek, reputed to be a first
class soldier, who is also not a Cantonese, being
a native of Chekiang. I may mention for what it is
worth, a report which is being spread in the
Colony to the effect that General Cheung Kai-shek
is acting under the orders of Peking and that it is
his intention, having got from the Russians such
arms and money as he requires, to turn the
Russians out and to declare the allegiance of
Canton to Peking, so that China may be in a position to present a united front at the coming Customs
and other negotiations. It is interesting to note
in this connection that the Russians have recently
sent away from Canton a number of their women-folk, and they have concentrated in one group instead of living in scattered houses as heretofore.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient humble servant,
B.E. Stubbs
Governor,&c.