13
His Majesty's Government strongly recommend, therefore, that the above demands be in the first place presented to Mr. Chen as representing the Nationalist Government, who must be held responsible for these outrages, and that a copy of the demands be communicated to Chiang Kai-shek by the consular officers at Shanghai. 2. In agreeing to the omission of a time-limit in formula (b) as quoted above, His Majesty's Government do so on the understanding that the other Powers accept in principle the application of sanctions in the event of the Nationalist Government refusing to give satisfaction to their demands.
His Majesty's Government further fully realise the difficulties in which the Japanese and other Governments may be placed in regard to the question of evacuating their nationals before any action is taken for the application of sanctions. They are quite prepared to allow ample time for complete evacuation and for such other measures as may be necessary for the purpose of safeguarding lives and vital interests of other Powers. They earnestly hope, however, that instructions will immediately be issued, if this has not already been done, for carrying out evacuation and other similar measures with all despatch.
As regards the question of the sanctions to be applied, these should, in the view of His Majesty's Government, form the subject of immediate discussion among the five Powers. They would suggest that this can best and most expeditiously be done by authorising the naval authorities of the Powers in China to formulate an agreed plan of action, if necessary by progressive steps, for the acceptance of their Governments.
I am instructing His Majesty's Ambassadors at Paris, Washington, Rome and Tokyo to make a communication in the above sense at once to the four Governments.
Repeat to Shanghai, Canton for Hong Kong.
(Repeated to Washington, No. 157; Rome, No. 94; Tokyo, No. 72; and Paris, No. 76 (by bag).)
(B.)
Code telegram to His Majesty's Ambassadors at Paris (No. 77 (by bag)), Washington (No. 158), Rome (No. 95), Tokyo (No. 73), dated April 4, 1927.
(State.)
MY telegrams Nos. 69 and 70 (Nos. 150 and 151) (Nos. 85 and 86) (Nos. 66 and 67).
Please make an urgent communication to the French (United States) (Italian) (Japanese) Government in the sense of my immediately preceding telegram (No. 235 to Peking of to-day's date), and urge them to send instructions at once to their Minister at Peking on these lines.
Your Excellency will see from these instructions to His Majesty's Minister at Peking that His Majesty's Government are now prepared, in their desire for immediate and concerted action, to drop their proposal to insist on a salute of the flags, &c., by Chiang Kai-shek and to waive the inclusion of a time-limit in their proposed communication, which in their opinion should be addressed primarily to the Nationalist Government and be concurrently communicated to Chiang Kai-shek. They consider that, once the principle of applying sanctions in the event of a refusal from the Nationalist Government to meet their terms is accepted, it would be advisable that the details of the sanctions to be ultimately applied should be concerted and agreed upon by the naval authorities of the Powers in China.
(Repeated to Peking, No. 236.)
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ANNEXURE No. 2.
Appendix III to Cabinet 23 (27).
Cypher Telegram to Sir M. Lampson (Peking), No. 237, dated April 4, 1927.
MY telegram No. 226 and Tokyo telegram No. 146.
1. We are advised that the defence of Peking by British forces alone far exceeds our available resources, and that even the defence of Tien-tsin and its communica-