55
The S.S.Lungshan, a Hong Kong
Canton river steamer
has recently been fired at in Canton River by men who
were understood to be Cantonese soldiery in uniform.
Mr.Brennan has now delivered to General Li Cha1-Sum
demands for apology and punishment, and has asked for
authority to impose a time limit for compliance, failing
which retaliatory measures would be taken.
This incident is not, however, necessarily
conclusive against assisting Li Chai-Sum. There is as
yet no evidence that these men were under his control
or part of his forces, and in view of his friendly
attitude towards the British, and the great improvement
in Hong Kong Canton relations that has taken place
during his regime, it seems at least possible that the
offenders were part of those rebellious elements which
he is out to suppress. If this were the case, we
should be in the position of denying him assistance
in maintaining order in the Province, and simultaneously
delivering to him an ultimatum for failing to do so.
Such an attitude is hardly calculated to encourage the
moderate element of the Kuomintang, who have at last
struggled to the top, and whose good-will has already
proved of so much value to Hong Kong and to British
interests generally.
There surely can be little ground for
apprehension that arms and ammunition, if supplied to
Li-Chai-Sum, would be used against the Shanghai Defence
Forces, or Pekin. Under our proposals supplies would
only be granted in small quantities, and would cease
automatically if H.M.Consul-General felt any suspicions
as to General Li Chai-Sum's bona fides, or if the
improvement in the state of the Province was not
commensurate with the assistance rendered.
Palanssuck 1915