223
Shanghai as quickly as possible; but that, until the
co-operation of other Powers in a scheme of rein-
forcement had been obtained, it was of the utmost
importance that no hint should be made public that
we were considering any large military movement, and
that, in any necessary outside inquiries the War
Office should make every effort to secure the
preservation of secrecy:
(f) That the Trading and Blockade Sub-Committee
of the Committee of Imperial Defence, of which the
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is Chairman,
should assemble forthwith, in accordance with the
suggestion made separately by the Lord President of
the Council and the Chiefs of Staff Sub-Committee, to
report on all the possibilities of putting economic
pressure on the Nationalist Goverment of South China,
by blockade or by other measures, whether by inter-
national action or, in the last resort, by the British
alone. The Chairman was authorised to consult Sir
Charles Addis, the Chairman of the Hong Kong and
Shanghai Bank, and was naked to discuss with him,
inter alia, the question of how far it was feasible
and desirable to continue to use the closing of
British banks at Hankow as a lever for securing the
return of the Concession.
(g) That the Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs should be authorised to send the fallowing
telegram (which he drafted during the meeting to give
effect to the views of the Cabinet) to Sir Miles
Lampson :-
"We also should like to insist on return of
concession before entering on any negotiations.
You and Mr. O'Malley will be the best judges
whether this is possible or whether it would
lead to immediate breakdown of the conversations
and