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It only remains to say that the atmosphere at
Canton is once again thoroughly friendly - more friendly, I am told, than it has been for many years past. It is
of course useless to disguise the fact that the present rulers of Canton are not yet securely installed. They
imperatively require assistance
·
especially financial
assistance. This cannot come from His Majesty's Govern- ment or the Government of Hong Kong; and it is now for Chinese merchants in Canton and Hong Kong to decide whe ther to stand aside and let the new regime make good for itself or in its turn disappear in favour of some as yet unknown successor, or whether the time has not now come in their own interests to back the new Government with something more tangible than mere good
wishes.
*