COPY
SECRET
ENCLOSURE.
Interview between the Chinese unofficial
members of Legislative Council and Mr.
Lam Ting-po
36
During the private interview which Mr. Lam
Ting-po had with Mr. R.H. Kotewall on the 22nd
July, Mr. Lam asked Mr. Kotewall a question which
he took care to say was purely personal, and in
no was inspired by General Li Chai-sum or anyone
else. He enquired whether, in the event of a
serious attack by the Wuhan Government on Kwong-
tung, and of the Kwongtung Government not being
able to repel the attack for want of arms, ammu-
nition or money, there would be any likelihood
of the Hong Kong Government or His Majesty's Government giving such help in a quiet way. Mr.
Kotewall replied that such would be most unlikely.
Mr. Lam then answered: "I know that the British
Government and the British people are great re-
specters of principle. This is a great virtue,
but when it comes to a question of life and death
for Hong Kong cannot exist without Kwongtung
it
would be more than folly merely to talk of prin-
ciples without taking action for self-defence or
self-preservation".
(Sd) R. H. KOTEWALL.
27th July, 1927.