SECRET
CABINET 29(27)
10
207
Extract from Conclusions of a Meeting held at 10 Downing Street, Monday 2nd May, 1927.
on
CHINA
(Previous Reference: Cabinet 28 (27) Con- clusion 1.)
(9)
The Cabinet bad before them a Fourth Report
by the Committee of Chiefs of Staff in regard to
Sanctions, relating exclusively to the sanctions
possible at Hankow, namely, the re-occupation of the
British Concession there and the destruction of the
Hany ang Arsenal (Paper C.P.138 (27)).
The new factors since the last Meeting, when
the Cabinet had been favourable in principle to the
re-occupation of the British Concession at Hankow, may
be summed up as follows:-
(1) Sir Miles Lampson, though prepared to agree to
the re-occupation of the Concession rather than to do
nothing at Hankow (Telegram No.791 of April 27th)
had given powerful reasons against the proposal
(Telegram No.792 of April 28th, repeating his telegram
No. 288 to the Naval Commander-in-Chief).
But Sir
Miles Lampson's alternative, viz., the destruction
of Hanyang Arsenal, had been shown by the Chiefs of
Staff Sub-Committee, in the Report referred to above,
to be open to strong objections on military grounds.
(11)