[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
Printed for the Committee of Imperial Defence. April 1927,
SECRET.
791-B.
(Also Paper No. C.O.S. 79
and C.P. 126 (27).)
COMMITTEE OF IMPERIAL DEFENCE.
Copy No.
33
THE SITUATION IN CHINA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO PEKING AND TIENTSIN,
REPORT BY THE CHIEFS OF STAFF.
1. WE met at 12.30 P.M. on the 11th April at the instigation of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and with the Prime Minister's approval, to consider the situation in China with special reference to Peking and Tientsin.
2. The situation which has arisen in regard to these two places is described in extenso in a memorandum prepared by the Foreign Office, and in telegrams Nos. 634 and 642 from Sir Miles Lampson. This memorandum and these two telegrams are attached as Appendices (A), (B) and (C) to this Report.
3. Having regard to the circumstances outlined in these documents, we have been asked to advise specifically :-
(a.) What is the maximum contribution which we can make to the defence of
the Legations and/or Tientsin?
(b.) Upon what conditions as regards the co-operation of other Powers we can
make it.
In reporting on these two questions we propose to deal with the Legations at Peking separately from the defence of Tientsin.
The Legations at Peking.
4. The defence of the Legations at Peking involves a problem somewhat similar to that which was presented to the Allies at the time of the Boxer rebellion in 1900-01. It will be recalled that on that occasion the Legations were besieged on the 13th June, the strength of the Legation guards amounting in total to approxi- mately 400 men, composed mostly of marines. For the relief of the Legations an international force-approximately 2,000 strong, composed entirely of sailors and marines and comprising four field guns and eleven machine guns-had been built up at Tientsin, and left by rail for Peking on the 10th June, leaving behind at Tientsin an international force 2,500 strong. On the 18th June the Peking relief force was severely attacked at Langfang, and on the 19th it was decided to with- draw to Tientsin, which was eventually reached on the 27th June after severe fighting. Meanwhile the Powers had sent out substantial reinforcements to China, and by the 29th June the strength of the forces available at Tientsin and Taku had been increased to approximately 14,000 with 53 field guns and 36 machine guns. The first step towards the relief of Peking was the capture of the native city of Tientsin. This was effected on the 13th and 14th July by an international force
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