[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government, and should be
returned to the Foreign Office if not required for official use.]
FROM CHINA.
Decode.
Sir M. Lampson. (Peking).
June 12th, 1928.
D.
8.0.p.m. June 12th, 1928.
R.
9.0.a.m. June 13th, 1928.
No. 593. (R).
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47
he
Following received from Canton.
Addressed to Peking No. 56; repeated to Hongkong.
Chinese telegraph office Hongkong.
Every time I see Commissioner for Foreign Affairs
reverts to this question and on June 7th he re- quested me most earnestly to re-open it with His Majesty's Government and Hongkong and to press claims o
Canton authorities to make appointment. He stated that Marshal Li attached great importance to it and now that Chang Tso-lin's regime at Peking had disappeared latter opposition could no longer be advanced as excuse for .. fusing Canton's request.
On my asking why Canton could not wait until Nationalist government at Peking made appointment he sd- mitted privately that they might appoint some one distaste- ful to Marshal Li but that if latter could present them
with fait accompli they would not attempt to upset it.
I would refer Foreign Office telegram 483 to you of 1927 stating that His Majesty's Government agreed in
principle to transfer of office to Canton control and I
would most strongly urge Canton's request be now granted
in view of changed ritical situation. It will plea90
Canton and I would remind you that in spite of all our assurances of friendship we have not been able to do much to meet Canton's wishes. It can do no possible harm to Hongkong to have Canton appointee rather then the Peking one but on the other hand if refused local authorities will feel very resentful and other cases nsá? more difficult to settle.
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