PR
[This Documents the Property of His Britanic Majesty's Government, and should be
returned to the Foreign Office if not required for official use.
331
From CHINA
Decode.
Sir M. Lampson (Peking)
29th December 1927.
D.
11.20 a.m.
30th December 1927.
R.
9.00 a.m.
30th December 1927.
No. 1797. (R).
XXXXXX
Following received from Shanghai No. 371.
Begins:-
On December 21st I received a letter from
Commissioner for Foreign Affairs to the effect that he
had been instructed by Minister for Foreign Affairs at
Nanking to request me to telegraph to the Governor of
Hongkong to postpone the execution of seven Chinese
sentenced to death for piracy of S. S. "Irene". No
grounds were given for the request but it was stated
that a despatch would follow,
I informed the Secretary who brought me the letter
that I could not telegraph such a request to Hongkong
direct but that I would report to you as soon as promis-
ed despatch arrived, I also expressed personal opinion
that such a request under all the circumstances would
create an unfortunate impression on British authorities,
Secretary said he would inform the Commissioner
who he thought in his capacity as Vice Minister for
Foreign Affairs would wish to deprecate any step likely
to be misunderstood.
I have today received from Commissioner for
Foreign Affairs for transmission a despatch addressed
to you by Minister for Foreign Affairs whose local
secretary has also sent privately to a member of my
staff/