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traffic on the Kowloon Canton Railway was suspended
and by the evening the defection to the side of
Kwangsi of the Canton Navy was reported to be an
accomplished fact; and further that the Cantonese
troops had refused to fight and that Admiral Chan
Chak and General Ch'an Chai-t'ong were on their way
to Hong Kong. More cannot be said at present; but
adherents of the Kwangsi party have for some days
been alleging that some such coup would take place,
which would result in the assumption by General Tsui King-t'ong of the Office of Commander-in-Chief
in Kwangtung.
8.
Another name which has frequently been
mentioned in this connection is that of General
Ch'an Kwing-ming.
Since his expulsion from the
province in 1924, this general has been living in
retirement in Hong Kong; but his followers have for
some time been active and many of them have already
obtained posts under the Canton Government. I
enclose copy of a memorandum by Dr. R.H. Kotewall regarding an interview with General Chan. I do
not myself consider that the "Great Republican
Confederation" is likely to prove a factor of any
particular importance in Chinese politics, although
as a convenient figurehead the General may perhaps
be able to influence the situation locally.
9. I also enclose a copy of a memorandum by
Sir Shou-son Chow of an interview with General Chan
Ming-shu. It appears to have been the fact that
with one or two exceptions the commanders in Kwangtung and Kwangsi were opposed to war between
the
Enclo. No. 3.
Enclo. No. 4.