COPY
HONG KONG, 19th January, 1948,
C.D.B. Heathcote-Smith, Esq., Political Advisor, HONG KONG.
sir,
At your request, and for your information to use as you think best, the following is an account of certain incidents as witnessed by me on Shameen, on the afternoon of 16th inst. I give also an account of my personal experience, in view of the action taken on my behalf by Mr. H.H. Boucher, Consul-General for the United States.
I should explain that from the commencement of the demonstration until I was forced to vacate the premises, I was in the top flat of the Chartered Bank Building, which overlooks the British Consulate grounds. It will also save redundant explanations if I state that, as far as events witnessed by me were concerned, the article in the S.C.2.P. of 19th January, page 7, headed "How It Happened", appears substantially correct.
Through the initial demonstration and subsequent rioting, the only guard stationed at the Chung Hing Road entrance to the Consulate was one gendarme who was there for a period of about 10 minutes only. During that period the gate was unlocked, and although he attempted to persuade the first few individuals who approached, he was soon pushed aside and disappeared into the Consulate grounds.
The group that first secured entry by this gate was lod by directed by an individual in the uniform of the Youth Corps. Before entering the grounds, this individual drew on the outside sall a sketch of a dog, and wrote both English and Chinese slogans. Once the crowd was in the grounds, other individuals in the same uniform were seen actively breaking into the buildinge, throwing out furniture, papers, etc., and feeding fires which had been started on the verandabs and against the sides of the main building.
After the mob had set fire to the Chartered Bank, and had broken down the door giving entry to my office and flat, I decided to leave the building by the back entrance. I had previously iretructed my Chinese staff and servants to leave. On my appearance, the crowd outside began shouting and closing in on me, but my senior Chinese nasistant shouted out "He is American". A single gendarme then took hold of my arm, and urged the crowd tɔ let me paɛs. I was making for the Long Kong & Shanghai Bank, but when this was realized by the crowd they begar shouting "Erglish he is English". As they began punching me and throwing stonea, I made my way across to the Dollar Trading Co.'s office, and anraged to enter the building followed by about 20 of the crowd.
I was asked to produce my passport, and being unable to do so, employees of the Dollar Trading Co., insisted that I leave the promises. At this point an individual who appeared to be half Indian, half Chinese brought into the room a Chinese in uniform who claimed to be a police officer. This man as not wearing police uniform, but a khaki uniform with cap and gilt insignia. lie placed paper, pen and ink in front of o and deminded that I write to the U.S. Consul for identification. I addressed a note to Mr. Boucher, asking for identification as a V.S. citizen in order to cape the crowd outside. This "police"