Confidenting
December 24th, 1938.
49
My dear Blunt,
Many thanks for your letter of the 21st
December about the Canton-Kowloon Railway. I have always
had in mind that, if and when the Japanese obtained
possession of Canton and control over Southern Kwangtung,
it would not be reasonable for this Government to refuse
to participate in a through train-service to Canton, although
we would discourage the carriage of munitions of war thereby:
in this connection see the Secretary of State for the Colonies'
(34) telegram No. 212 to me, reported to you as my No. 38. That
situation has more or less materialised now, although Japanese
control along the railway line is not very complete, of course.
Apart from questions of this Colony's
trade, refugee exodus etc., there are the interests of the
bond-holders to be considered. I do not see why they should
be sacrificed to the Chinese inability or refusal to defend
their own country. For several reasons, therefore, it appears
to me very desirable that the sooner the railway is restored
and runs the better. I should, therefore, like you to add this
to the list of questions which you put occasionally to Okazaki:
I would not go so far as to say to 'press' on him, Personally,
I do not now anticipate trouble at this port on account of a
restoration of the railway service to Canton, except perhaps,
if munitions of war were being moved. After all this port
is still serving regularly several Japanese steamer line s.
A. P. Blunt, Esq., C.M.G.,
His Britannic Majesty's Consul General,
CANTON.
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