- 3.
the Canton police force would patrol the Canton water- ways and prevent strike pickots from committing fur- ther outrages afloat (letter of 11th September, 1926);
and he disclaimed any intention on the part of the
Canton Government to support the strikers, to injuro
Hong Kong or to extend the anti-British boycott
(letter of 16th September, 1926). These assurances
induced Mr. Brenan to suspend any further action by
our navy at Canton and to resumo conversations with
Comrade Ch'on as to ways and means of ending the boy-
cott. From this point onwards everything has gone
wrong.
3. At an interview on the 17th September
Comrado Ch'on told Mr. Brenan that arrangements had
been made to ond the boycott on or before the 10th
October, and to lovy certain taxes instead, explain-
ing that these taxes were to raise the funds necessary
for liquidating the boycott organization, which it
would take a few weeks to accomplish, and that they
would be levied on goods of all nationalities with no
discrimination against the British.
Comrado Ch'on at
this interview further said that the British authori-
ties would not be asked for a formal agreement or for
assistance with the Chinose Maritime Customs, but
would only bo asked not to raise objection (Canton telegram to Foreign Offico, dated 18th September).
On
113