گیا
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with this wanton anti-British outrage. As regards
the sanctions to be taken we first considered
Commander Fitzgerald's proposal to destroy by gun-
fire the matshed barracks and gun positions on Dane
Island, after a warning to evacuate. Rear-Admiral
Boyle and Commodore Pearson for technical reasons
considered that such an operation should not be
attempted; and after full discussion we all remained
of opinion that the only effective and adequate
sanction would be the capture of the Bogue forts and Dane Island Defences. Such an operation would
not mean war on China, for "China" politically no
longer exists. But it would be the best means of
restoring British prestige in Southern China and
discouraging any further anti-British manifestations
in Khang-tung. The Military Academy on Dane Island
is notoriously Bolshevik. Moreover, Mr. Brenan
himself had admitted and we agreed that, if the Chinese showed fight it would become necessary to capture the Bogue forts and Dane Island Defences.
If, however, some minor operation at Dane Island
were first undertaken we should lose the advantage of surprise in the major operation. Finally, we decided that we would again strongly recommend the capture of the Bogue forts and Dane Island Defences
as the best sanction, but add that, if His Majesty's Government did not agree, any small retaliatory act
of destruction should be done from the air and that
in such case incendiary bombs should be dropped by
British aircraft on the matshed barracks situated
at the spot where the firing on s.s. "Iungshan" took
place. I telegraphed to you in this sense on the
20th May: