L
اختمانی
210
mmimmi
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
། ། ། ། ། །
Reference :-
C.O.882/11
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO |
E
74
2. One spot of humour lightens the situation. The Canton Seame: Union, in support of its picketing campaign, has distributed pamphlets lauding the speed and cheapness of railway travel as exemplified y the new express service over the Kowloon-Canton Railway. Whether the Union is aware that this service is only rendered possible Hong Kong's enterprise in adapting and lending its " Imperialist locomotives, I cannot say. But certainly the results are encouraging. From the 20th June, when this service was started, to the 5th July a total of 7,157 passengers has travelled up to and 9,250 down to Canton by these expresses, and the daily average of the British share of the takings is $370. The same balance of traffic in favour of the Colony is also maintained by the river and ocean going steamers. The total excess of arrivals by all routes over departures from the 21st February to the 26th June, 1927, is estimated at 62,274.
3. Nothing further has materialized from the visit of Messrs. Hu Chun-lin (Chinese characters) and Wai Yuk (Chinese characters), reported in my last despatch. The communiqué has not made as appearance, and word has been sent through Sir Shouson Chow that Canton considers the situation" too delicate for such a move at present." What this exact phrase indicates, I cannot say; but a repot has reached me that the anti-Communist expedition led by General Ts'in Tai-kwan has suffered a serious reverse from the extremist forces of Kiangsi at Kanchow on the border of that province.
4. I regret to have to report that European officers of the China Navigation Company (British, Messrs. Butterfield and Swire, general managers) went on strike on the 29th June in protest against a reduc- tion of their rates of pay. I enclose a Press statement* of the issue as viewed by the Company, but am not in a position to express any opinion on the merits of the case. I can only regret the unfortunate example set to Chinese Labour at this critical time. I am informed that the whole fleet of the Company, numbering some eighty ships. is now laid up in different waters, but so far the absence of these vessels has not affected local trade, ample tonnage being available on other lines. The number of the Company's steamers now laid up in Hong Kong harbour is fourteen. One of these is the Canton rivei steamer Fatskan.
5. I take the opportunity of enclosing a translationt from the Kwok Man San Man, Canton, of the 26th May, containing a refresh- ingly clear exposure of Comrade Borodin as the evil genius of Chinese Nationalism. Mr. Hu Han-min (Chinese characters), who makes this exposure, is Chairman of the Central Political Council of the (Nanking) Kuomintang.
6. The Illegal Strikes Bill, to which I referred in paragraph 6 of my secret despatch of the 30th June, was to-day passed into law by Legislative Council with complete unanimity. This Ordinance will b the subject of a separate despatch.
I have, etc..
C. CLEMENTI,
Governor, de.
• Not reprinted.
+ Not printed.
* No. 17.
3001/27 C. [No. 39.]
75
No. 19.
The Governor of Hong Kong to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
Serret, 2.).
SIR.
(Received 18th August, 1927.)
Government House, Hong Kong, 14th July, 1927.
F
Th the 11th July 1 received a visit from another Cantonese official in the person of General Li Fuk-lam (Chinese characters), commonly known as "the King of Honan (Chinese characters), Honan being the large island in the Pearl River, south of Canton City of which it forms a suburb, comparable to the Surrey side of London. During the Yunnanese régime at Canton General Li commanded an inde pendent force of considerable strength, based on this island, and in co-operation with the British naval forces in the Pearl and West River delta organized a very successful campaign for the suppression of piracy and brigandage. When the Yunnanese commanders were ejected by the present Nationalist Government in the middle of 1925, General Li threw in his lot with the victors and was able for a time He was, to maintain his position as an independent commander. however, under suspicion, not without good reason, for he and General Agai Pong-p'eng. (Chinese characters) were constantly named together by members of the Chan Kwing-ming (Chinese characters) clique as the possible saviours of Canton from its new communistic masters. When the power of Marshal Tseung Kai-shek increased, and the hopes of the reactionaries faded further and further into the distance, neral Li's independence dwindled; and the Nationalist Government appears now to consider him to be a staunch Kuomintang adherent, as his name appears among the Provincial Commissioners for Kwang- tung whose appointment was reported in my secret despatch of the 26th May, 1927.* He is commander of the "5th Nationalist Army."
I am disposed to 2. A memorandumt of the interview is enclosed. think that General Li's presence in Hong Kong had the accidental character which he attributes to it, and it is a fact that "Master James Lee," the son of General Li, left for Seattle yesterday in the 4.5. President Grant under the care of Dr. and Mrs. Cadbury of the Lingnam University at Canton, with whose family he is to be brought up in the United States of America. But General Li's mention of the country property of his former ally General Ngai Pong-p'eng may be f greater significance than appears at first sight. Rumours of a against the Communists disaster to the new "Northern Expedition"
in Hunan and Kiangsi grow in strength, and forces appear to have been withdrawn from the protection of Canton and even from such Totoriously "red" areas as the East River and the Luichow Peninsula. It may be that General Li is exploring the possibilities of Hong Kong as a refuge from a Communist émeute in Canton.
3. The fresh surrender to the Seamen's Union reported in my secret dispatch of th 7th July has reaped the reward which in China
† Not printed. C. 30001/27 0. [No. 12, not printed.
+ No. 18.
Page 210Page 211
210
།?། ། །
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O.882/11
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- | COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
74
2. One spot of humour lightens the situation. The Canton Seame: Union, in support of its picketing campaign, has distributed pamphlets lauding the speed and cheapness of railway travel as exemplified by the new express service over the Kowloon-Canton Railway. Whether the Union is aware that this service is only rendered possible by Hong Kong's enterprise in adapting and lending its " Imperialist " locomotives, I cannot say. But certainly the results are encouraging. From the 20th June, when this service was started, to the 5th July a total of 7,157 passengers has travelled up to and 9,250 down from Canton by these expresses, and the daily average of the British shane of the takings is $370. The same balance of traffic in favour of the Colony is also maintained by the river and ocean going steamers. The total excess of arrivals by all routes over departures from the 21st February to the 26th June, 1927, is estimated at 62,274.
3. Nothing further has materialized from the visit of Messrs. Hu Chun-lin (Chinese characters) and Wai Yuk (Chinese characters), reported in my last despatch. The communiqué has not made it appearance, and word has been sent through Sir Shouson Chow that Canton considers the situation "too delicate for such a move at present.' What this exact phrase indicates, I cannot say; but a report has reached me that the anti-Communist expedition led by General Ts'in Tai-kwan has suffered a serious reverse from the extremist forces of Kiangsi at Kanchow on the border of that province.
4. I regret to have to report that European officers of the China Navigation Company (British, Messrs. Butterfield and Swire, general managers) went on strike on the 29th June in protest against a reduc tion of their rates of pay. I enclose a Press statement* of the issue as viewed by the Company, but am not in a position to express any opinion on the merits of the case. I can only regret the unfortunate example set to Chinese Labour at this critical time. I am informed that the whole fleet of the Company, numbering some eighty ships, is now laid up in different waters, but so far the absence of these vessels has not affected local trade, ample tonnage being available on other lines. The number of the Company's steamers now laid up in Hong Kong harbour is fourteen. One of these is the Canton river
steamer Fatshan.
5. I take the opportunity of enclosing a translationt from the Kwok Man San Man, Canton, of the 20th May, containing a refresh ingly clear exposure of Comrade Borodin as the evil genius of Chinese Nationalism. Mr. Hu Han-min (Chinese characters), who makes this exposure, is Chairman of the Central Political Council of the (Nanking) Kuomintang.
6. The Illegal, Strikes Bill, to which I referred in paragraph 6 of my secret despatch of the 30th June, was to-day passed into law by Legislative Council with complete unanimity. This Ordinance will be the subject of a separate despatch.
I have, etc.,
C. CLEMENTI,
Governor, &'c.
Not reprinted.
+ Not printed.
- No. 17.
C30001/27 C. [No. 39.]
75
No. 19.
The Governor of Hong Kong to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
Secret, 2.)
SIR,
(Received 18th August, 1927.)
Government House, Hong Kong, 14th July, 1927.
On the 11th July I received a visit from another Cantonese official in the person of General Li Fuk-lam (Chinese characters), commonly known as "the King of Honan" (Chinese characters), Honan being the large island in the Pearl River, south of Canton City of which it forms a suburb, comparable to the Surrey side of London. During the Yunnanese régime at Canton General Li commanded an inde- pendent force of considerable strength, based on this island, and in co-operation with the British naval forces in the Pearl and West River delta organized a very successful campaign for the suppression of piracy and brigandage. When the Yunnanese commanders were ejected by the present Nationalist Government in the middle of 1925, General Li threw in his lot with the victors and was able for a time He was, to maintain his position as an independent commander. however, under suspicion, not without good reason, for he and General Agai Pong-p'eng (Chinese characters) were constantly named together by members of the Chan Kwing-ming (Chinese characters) clique as the possible saviours of Canton from its new communistic masters. When the power of Marshal Tseung Kai-shek increased, and the hopes of the reactionaries faded further and further into the distance, General Li's independence dwindled; and the Nationalist Government appears now to, consider him to be a staunch Kuomintang adherent, as his name appears among the Provincial Commissioners for Kwang- tung whose appointment was reported in my secret despatch of the 26th May, 1927.* He is commander of the "5th Nationalist Army."
2. A memorandumt of the interview is enclosed. I am disposed to think that General Li's presence in Hong Kong had the accidental character which he attributes to it, and it is a fact that "Master James Lee," the son of General Li, left for Seattle yesterday in the 5.5. President Grant under the care of Dr. and Mrs. Cadbury of the Lingnam University at Canton, with whose family he is to be brought up in the United States of America. But General Li's mention of the country property of his former ally General Ngai Pong-p'eng may be "t greater significance than appears at first sight. Rumours of a disaster to the new "Northern Expedition" against the Communists in Hunan and Kiangai grow in strength, and forces appear to have heen withdrawn from the protection of Canton and even from such notoriously "red" areas as the East River and the Luichow Peninsula. It may be that General Li is exploring the possibilities of Hong Kong as a refuge from a Communist émeute in Canton.
3. The fresh surrender to the Seamen's Union-reported in my secret despatch of the 7th July has reaped the reward which in China
† Not printed,
+ No. 18. * C. 30001/27 C. [No. 12, : not printed.
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