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No145
COLONIAL
OFFICE
No.
NUMBER AND DATE SHOULD
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TO THIS LETTER
SECRET
Copies to:
Peking No. 85
Canton No. 348
Enclosure ""
nol
17 NOV 1927
Anze Secret
Copy
do FOC
Sir,
}
3
176
GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
HONG KONG,
30th September,
1927.
The Anti-British boycott has not materialized. As I anticipated in my Secret Despatch of the 15th September, it collapsed on the first touch of real force. This touch was, as you will be aware, supplied by Mr. Brenan who warned both the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and General Li Chai-sum himself that the British Government would meet any attempt to reinstitute the picket system, by prompt and forcible retaliation. The
not exact nature of the measures proposed was, of course, indicated; but having before them as object-lessons the reprisals for the piracies of the S.S. "Yatshing" and S.S. "Ko Chow", the Canton Authorities immediately issued to the so-called Boycott Comittee a sharp warning that picketing of British goods would not be permitted.
To A translation of this notification is enclosed. occidental' eyes this document may seem more monitory than minatory, but to its Chinese recipients it is the clearest possible order to leave British trade alone, and it was so interpreted.
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
LISUTENANT COLONEL L.C.M.S. AMERY, M.P.,
&c.,
&c.,
&C.
(1065)6
2.