Smical. Enclosuretion o
COFY OF TELEGRAM.
ls
200
PARAPHRASE!
(No.8)
111
FROM H.M.MINISTER, PEKING.
CTO
: H.M.CONSUL GENERAL. CANTON.
DESPATCHED January 31st 1926.
RECEIVED: 11 a.m. February 1st!
·
Following is repetition of telegram from
Foreign Office, No. 35.
Reference my telegram No. 30. It appears that no very helpful recommendations have resulted from conference with O'Malley in Hongkong. The problem is mast difficult, and the methods which have so far been
If there suggested for solving it are as follows.
should be a resort to force, presentation to Canton of
an ultimatum demanding expulsion of Russians and termin- ation of boycott: the next step, if necessary, to be an aerial bombardment of the forts and Whampoa Military
College.
.This scheme would not only involve actual hostilities but also recognition of an independent Canton Government, and it has consequently always been rejected. It has also been assumed that such action would unite the Chinese against the British, and lead to a revival of the boycott throughout the country. Does this last objection in your opinion still hold good, and do you generally deprecate action on these lines?
Blockade. This would entail either (a)
2.
joint international action in co-operation with Washingt Powers, or (b) independent British action, such as insistence upon unloading at Hongkong of all ships with cargo for or from Canton. Scheme (b) would, unless powers concerned gave tacit consent, inevitably lead to
friction; and scheme (a), which, Mr. Palairet suggested
to