(c) Provided Admiral Li (who has 4 cruisers at his
disposal) will undertake (1) to patrol the mouth of the West
River and the Hainan Strait and (2) to take action against
Chinese pirates, we favour the grant of assistance to the
Chinese Navy. This subject is dealt with in my telegrams
190/66676626
154810-01
of the 6th of December and 19th of January and in my despatch
43
49489
of the 20th of January, (Secret) and your telegram of the 30th
of January.
not yet rech
(D) The suggestion that pressure should be brought to bear
at Moscow. In our opinion the expulsion of the Bolsheviks
from Canton is an essential preliminary to a permanent settle-
ment. The possibility of the effective steps taken in 1923
(in regard to trawlers etc.) being repeated should be
considered. If this were possible it might provide the
solution of the Kuang Tung troubles without the use of force
and without antagonising the Chinese.
(E) The question of conciliation. CE
70%
C 2243
See enclosure 7 f in Governor's
Confidential despatch of 2nd October, for the demands of
Canton.
The only body in Canton with which my Government can
negotiate is the Government of Canton. Apart from Canton
workmen (with whom the Colonial Government has no concern)
the Strike Committee consists of former Hongkong workmen
(whose return we do not desire since the Colony is better off
without them). The advisers of the Committee are Red
Russians. The Colonial Government cannot possibly conduct
negotiations with such a body. If such negotiations were
begun our prestige would suffer to such an extent that the
future good Government of the Colony would be imperilled.
Furthermore a very detrimental effect would be produced
on British interests in Shanghai if the Kuang Tung anti-
British boycott were to end in the humiliation of the
Colony
6