211
།།།།
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O.882/11
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
|ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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always awaits weakness. Having proved that the Steamboat Company would not fight for an inch, the Union has now demanded an ell li has presented a set of demands to which the Company must make written submission before the British Consul-General, involving inter alia guarantees that the Union shall be entitled to carry cu propa ganda on board the Company's vessels in Hong Kong and shall be immune from arrest by the police of this Colony until such time as the Union is reopened. A copy of the full text of the demands and certain correspondence regarding them is enclosed. Should the further negotiations by the "Farming Syndicate prove fruitless, I understand that the Company will follow Mr. Brenan's advice and lay up their vessels for a time. But in that case it is possible that th Colonial Government will be asked to support the Company by cancelling the through train service to Canton and possibly by per- suading or even compelling the other river-steamer lines to stop their sailings, the object being to bring home to Canton the fact that the weapons are not all on one side.
4. The plans for a boycott of Japanese goods are reported to be going into effect, though exceptions have perforce been made in favour of such essential goods as coal and drugs. The Canton vernacular press contained a report that the boycott organization at Wuchow proposed to include British goods in retaliation for the mission of the Shanghai Defence Force. I have asked His Majesty's Consul- General at Canton to enquire into the grounds for this statement which has no confirmation in local business circles. I do not myself believe that Canton can afford a fresh boycott of British goods in addition to Japanese. Her trade, and with it her income, would suffer too greatly. Should the extremists, however, regain control of the south any fanatical move, however self-destructive, might be attempted.
5. The strike of the officers of the China Navigation Company's fleet shows no signs of settlement, but as anticipated in my last despatch other tonnage has been made available and there has been no rise in freights.
6. I enclose for your information the following translations* from the Chinese press:-
(a) From the Wah Tsz Fat Po, Hong Kong, of the 9th May, purporting to be an open letter to the people of China by Marshal Tseung Kai-shek on the distinction between Dr. Sun's "Three Principles" and Bolshevism.
(b) From the Tsun Wan Yat Po of the 31st May, reporting a statement by General Yeung Yü-t'ing (Chinese characters), one of Marshal Chang Tso-lig's most trusted commanders, on the sins of Russia and the Fengtien programme. It is chiefly interesting for its hints of reconciliation between Marshal Chang and Marshal Tseung on the basis of a common hostility to Bolshevism.
I have, etc.,
Not printed.
C. CLEMENTI,
Governor, &c.
(.30001/27 D. [No. 7].
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No. 20.
The Governor of Hong Kong to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
(Extract.)
(Secret.) SPR,
(Received 31st August, 1927.)
Government House, Hong Kong, 29th July, 1927.
All negotiations by the Hong Kong, Canton and Macao Steamboat Company for the removal of the boycott of the British river steamers have hitherto failed and, although the Canton Police when in suffi- cient force prevent actual violence (such as tarring of boycott- breaking passengers) they will not drive off the Seamen's Union's pickets. The vessels, therefore, get practically no passengers and very little cargo except live fish, which is handled by a Union too truculent even for the Seamen's Union. It is, in fact, quite clear that the Seamen's Union intends to maintain the boycott, if it can, until the Company surrenders unconditionally. Realising this, the managers of the main company (the Hong Kong, Canton and Macao Steamboat Company) propose to recommend to the Directors a stronger line of action. In the first place they intend to claim from the con- tractor (see my secret despatch of the 7th July,* end of paragraph one) the full amount of his tender, leaving him to bear the loss of traffic, at the same time impressing it upon him that solidarity in retalia- tion is the only hope for all the Hong Kong river lines, of one of which he is owner. They will also give notice to their Chinese crews -all Seamen's Union men-that, as the Union interferes with the Company, the Company will not continue to employ Union men. These men are all on 24-hour terms: but a little longer notice will probably be given in order to let the idea soak into the minds of those affected.
to
On the dismissal of the Union crews fresh non-union crews will be put on board the river steamers, which will be kept running, as it is only while the steamer service is maintained that the claim against the contractor can stand. If this fails to stop the picketing, the managers propose to ask all the owners of vessels on this run co-operate with them in a complete stoppage of communication with Canton. This step is apparently not quite so forlorn a hope as it would seem and, if it is achieved, it is probable that I shall be asked to co-operate by stopping also the through train service as indicated You will observe in paragraph three of my preceding despatch. † that these proposals come entirely from the management of the main company. The China Navigation Company (Messrs. Butterfield and Swire), which owns one steamer (the s.6. Fatshan) running in con- junction with those of the main company, stands aloof, disapproving of the pressure proposed to be applied to the contractor, who happens
• No. 18.
+ No. 19.