305
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government, and should be 15
returned to the Foreign Office if not required for official use.]
From CHINA.
Decypher.
Sir M. Lampson (Nanking).
27th May, 1931.
D.
10.15 a.m.
27th May, 1931.
R. 9.30 a.m.
27th May, 1931.
No. 236. (Tour)
Confidential.
Extraterritoriality.
I have explained position up to date fully to
French Minister who made no comment save that Paris
refused to understand his difficulties and emitted
no response to his most urgent enquiries.
As a result he has
2. He tells me his relations with Chinese
Government are now definitely bad. He was on the
point of concluding an arrangement with them
regarding surrendering of Annam communist agitators
sheltering in Yunan when on April 25th Nanking Tangru
suddenly ordered their release.
felt constrained to hold up two consignments of arms
amounting roughly to 10,000 rifles this month being sent through Indo-China by Central Government to Yunan to assist in resisting present Canton movement. As proof of neutrality he has informed Wai Chiao-pu that very large consignment for Kuangsi had already been refused a permit. All this verbally
•
3. He is evidently apprehensive of developments affecting French interests on Yunan border, even hinting at possibility of eventual military measures and added that though the matter had been hushed up a serious situation had existed in Annam on May 1st.
Addressed to Foreign Office No. 236, repeated to
Peking.