104
No.275 of February 10th, pointing out that the approach
to Shanghai of the Defence Force was bringing some members
of the Canton Government to their senses, endorsing the
deci sion of the Naval Commander-in-Chief to bring the Indian
Brigade forthwith to Shanghai; and reporting that Sun
Chuan-fang's position was unstable. This telegram was felt
to render unnecessary any further telegram to the Naval
Commander-in-Chief in regard to the Shanghai Defence Force.
The Cabinet agreed
--
(a) That the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
should authorise Mr. O'Malley to accept Chen's
written assurance for the future and to sign the
Hankow and Kiukiang concession agreements, including
the written assurance by Mr. O'Malley to the effect
that the British authorities concerned will do all
in their power to implement and secure the
successful operation of the agreements, and that
Chinese citizens should enjoy equal rights with
British subjects in these areas (see Mr. O'Malley's
telegram No.47). As regards the Shanghai Defence
Force Mr. O'Malley should be told to make clear that
the troops were to be used only for protection and
in sufficient numbers to secure this; that the
troops would be stationed within the settlement and
would not be moved outside except in case of grave
emergency; and that His Majesty's Government will
continue to maintain strict neutrality in the
(b)
civil war in China (for details see Appendix).
That the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
should inform the House of Commons of the present
position in the negotiations and of the tenor of the
reply summarised in (a). He should also inform the
House that the Naval Commander-in-Chief had deemed
it necessary to bring the Indian Mixed Brigade to
Shanghai, but that the remainder of the Shanghai