(15
SECRET
CABINET 4(27)
Extract from Conclusions of a Meeting of the Cabinet held at 10 Downing Street, on Wednesday, January 26th, 1927, at 11.30.a.m.
161
CHINA
(Previous Reference: Cabinet 3 (27)).
1.
The Cabinet had before them a Memorandum
circulated by the Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs in regard to the rights of British subjects
in China in Treaty Ports andin Concessions (Paper
C.P.15(27)).
The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
gave the Cabinet an account of the events in regard
to China since thelast meeting.
Immediately after
that meeting a reply had been received from the
Japanese Government declining to collaborate in
military measures for the defence of Shanghai and
refusing to give any assurance that they would
provide the necessary force if the emergency should
arise. In these circumstances, orders had been
given for the forces approved by the Cabinet to
proceed to China in accordance with Cabinet 3
(27) (a).
Sir Austen Chamberlain then gave the
Cabinet a full account of a conversation he had had
with the Japanese Ambassador (particulars of which
are about to be circulated) and other information
bearing on the attitude of Japan.
of
He mentioned also
that a telegram, on the terms of which the British
Ambassador at Tokyo and the British Minister at
Peking had been consulted, had now been sent to
Washington, Paris, Rome and other Capitals concerned,
explaining the British policy. He informed the
Cabinet that Mr. O'Malley would communicate the
British policy to Eugene Chen on the following day,
after