this entails firing, though only in the last
extremity, and that then the Cantonese troops
might take part. In that event, it might be
impossible to evacuate immediately, especially
as the French are determined to hold their
concession to the last, and we could not leave
them in the lurch. The Acting Consul General,
who thinks the Nationalist Government cannot
want serious trouble at Canton, the base of their
campaign and the source of most of their money
and supplies, asks for authority to tell the
local Chinese General, in Command, in as
friendly and tactful a manner as possible, that
if we are attacked by troops we shall shell or
bomb vital points and finally blockade Canton.
In such a case, he thinks the French and possibly
the Americans and Japanese, would be with us
and help to defend the island.
Meanwhile, the
General Officer commanding at Hong Kong reports
that he has been considering the question of
the Shameen in consultation with the Navy, and
they are of the definite opinion that it should
not be evacuated, and the Governor concurs in
this opinion. The Navy assure him that
communication can be kept open at any time
of the year by routes which avoid the defended
channel. Should evacuation eventually become
imperative, they consider it highly improbable
routes would be blocked. The
if necessary, General Officer Commanding is prepared to send
that these
In
one Company and four machine guns to Shameen.
that event, the Navy propose to block the entrance
to the river with the "Hermes" and one cruiser,
the former being used for bombing if desirable.
4.
203