Fr
... The Commodore, Hong Kong. Date ... 2nd August 1926. No. 294/053/35.
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....... The Commander-in-Chief, China station,
(Copy to Senior Naval öfficer, West River). subject .. Commissioning of E.M.9. "TUNG ON" and H.M.S.
NHƯNG KHÔNG for sorries on Test and Carton Rivers
With reference to my telegram No. 865, dated 25th July 1925, I have the honour to report that on 9th July 1925 all river communication between Canten and Hong Kong ceased and the Gunboats and foreign communities at Shamsen were entirely out off,
The supply of food and other necessities ceased, due to the intense boycott and strike directed against the Shameen by the Canton strike Committees.
2. It became essential therefore to renew the service without delay and I approached His Excellency the Governor of Hong Kong with a view to his taking up a suitable river steamer, for which I was prepared to provide a Naval crew, in order that communication might be re-established immediately.
3.
In consultation with members of the Goverment I wan informed that the Hong Kong Bovernment wishad to re-establis communication for the following reasons:-
(a) In order to demonstrate to the Strike Committee that their efforts to dislocate communications waS DO embarrassment to the Government.
(b) To provide means of departing some hundreds of
undesirables.
(c) To enable more strikers to leave Hong Kong and to
give those strikers at Canton who wished to return to Hong Kong an opportunity of doing so.
Apart from the above it was of course in the interests of the business community of Hong Kong that a resumption of communication be made an early as possible.
It will be noted that for reason (a) an immediate
resumption of communication was necessary.
4. The S.5. "TUNG ON" was accordingly taken up by the Họng Kong Goverment andil provided her with a Naval orEN p.. on 9th July 1925.
5.
The Goverıment were particularly anxious that passengera should be carried and provided overy pressution was taken during their subarkation at Hong Kong, that the Government made all such arrangements and that the passengers could be landed at Canton, I saw no objection to such a proceeding.
It was apparently the intention of the Hong Kong Goverment to defray the cost of ruming this vessel by charging increased fares and freightage før passengers and cargo.
6. At Canton the difficulties of embarkation were more severe and I pointed out that the desirability or not of embarking passengers should rest with the Senior Naval officer, West River, and Consul General, who were better
It soquainted with cirömstances and conditions,
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