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TELEGRAM from the Governor of Hong Kong to the Secretary of
State for the Colonies.
Dated 26th March, 1927.
(Received, Colonial Office, 11.10 a.m. 26th March, 1927).
Addressed to Secretary of State for the Colonies
repeated to Peking No.26 Shanghai for Commander in Chief and
General Duncan and Canton. Organised assassination has been
used for some time by extremists at Shanghai as a method of
intimidation preparatory to strike and mob violence.
Reliable
information has now been received from secret source that four
gunmen whose names are known to the Police have been sent from
Canton to Hong Kong with orders to shoot myself, Halifax, Chow
and Kotewall and to blow up Headquarters of Hong Kong Labour
Doubtless intention is to bring off such a stroke
simultaneously with the initiation of another general strike
in Hong Kong. All possible local precautions have been
Bureau.
taken.
I recommend that Brenan be authorised to warn Canton
authorities that if attempt is made by Canton labour union
or Chinese extremists to initiate any strike or labour unrest
among peaceful contented and law abiding population of Hong
Kong by intimidation assassination or other unlawful means
His Majesty's Government will take very stern measures of
retribution. A similar warning should be given at the same
time by Teichman to Chen.
If nevertheless there should be assassination of
loyal Chinese in Hong Kong I recommend that British Naval and
Military forces should retaliate as soon as possible by taking
and