m55
before, placed the helmet of a gendarme on her head. The helmet was badly dented. The Rev. Williams is teaching in the Chung Shan University. The latter's undergraduates sean to have been many of the ringleaders. Armed leoters might also to mentioned hers, my chauffeur, who lived in the compound, losing everything at the point of the pistol.
11.
Although the Main Consulate building was completely gutted by the demonstrators, who it is said, used inflammatory chemicals as well as kerosene, the two Consular houses havO suffered less thần I at first supposed. Butterfield's building and also the office portion of Jardines are, however, complete wrecks, while the lower portion of the Chartered Bank is burnt out, Fortunately no great damage was done to the Hong Kong Bank, as the Mayor arrived just in time, although some windows were broken and soms desks smashed.
12.
The evening of the incident Dr. T.V. Soong and the Mayor called upon me to apologise, the Mayor most abjectly. Dr. Soong stated that full compensation would be paid. A contractor, who is repairing the slight damage done to the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank, assessed total damages on Shameen at one million pounds. If this compensation is ever to be paid the claim should probably be put in as soon as possible before interest in this inoident has had time to lapse. Today's Central News reports that of one hundred odd suspects arrested seventy have already been released and more will be released shortly.
13.
On 19th January I called upon Dr. 8oong and stated that I must have information to report to My Ambassador on two matters; (1) why did three hours! delay occur before adequate reinforcements arrived! (ii) жhat preparations had been made to prevent a similar incident occurring?
14. Dr. Soong replied, as I havo already reported, that he was convinced in his own mind that the delay was due to sheer incompetence and possibly cowardice, i..., fear of the mob. He had been assured by both the Mayor and the Chief of Police that they would guarantee that nothing untoward would happen. Soma- tháng had gone wrong though what he was quite unable to explain. He reminded me rather of a Master trying to explain the misbehaviour of boys in his form, I reminded him of my telephone call direct to the Chief of Police and said that someone must have deliberately disobeyed orders. Dr. Soong repeated that he was convinced in his own mind that no such thing had happened, I understand from certain sœurces that Dr. Soong's orders are frequently paid little heed to by the Military who feel that they owe less allegiance to a civilian than to their former military master or masters. This may be žxxxâaangkXxEKRIŔMKxxmf a partial explanation. A further explanation may be Dr. Soong's own fear of aggravating his party's troubles by drawing blood, which would draw down on his head, and on the Nanking Government, Wave of unpopularity at a time when both are widely disliked, It is, I think, obvious that he wants to be friendly to us, and that the last thing he wanted was this incident. It is, however, perhaps equally obvious that he was not prepared to take ruthless police aotion and risk repercussions, to prevent the incident developing. Moreover, his soft peddling police instructions may have so ham-strung his subordinates that they could not take effective action. People most obviously to blame would appear to be the Chief of Police, for not sending Police earlier, and Dr. £oong himself for not having given orders earlier to the Gendarmerie, In regard to the Chief of Police, unless he were acting under some restraining hand, it is difficult to see how he can be exonerated. Especially is this so when it is borne in mind that when the tail end of the proosssion split away for Shemson, Shamsen was only about ten minutes walk away so that Polios watching
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