[Thl Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government, and should be returned to the Foreign Office If not required for official use.j
(F 1931/2/10.)
CHINA.
Code telegram to Sir R. Macleay (Peking).
No. 157.
Foreign Office.
(R).
URGENT
21st May, 1926. 4.45 p.m.
557
My telegram No. 145. (Boxer indemnity delega-
tion.)
Visit of delegation to Canton at first appeared
inexpedient and decision was postponed, but delegation
has been so well received elsewhere in China and has
been so successful in keeping out of politics that it
has been represented to me, and I agree, that these
earlier objections cannot be maintained and that it might seriously damage success of our indemnity policy
as a whole if Canton, being so important a part of
China, were omitted. I am bound to attach great
weight to views of Lord Willingdon and his colleagues, more especially as they receive strong support from
Lord Buxton and rest of committee here, and are
further backed by high independent opinion.
Lord
Willingdon himself and delegation should officially visit Hongkong first, and then Canton at earliest possible date. Care should be taken to emphasise aloofness from local politics, but it is essential that they should go from Hongkong to Canton in a British vessel, possibly a destroyer, and without any hindrance from the Cantonese. Please tell Lord Willingdon that I rely on him to take full account
of
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