CO129-381 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1911 [11-12] — Page 209

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Commodore to send a Cunboat to Eirs Day. H. L. S. "Handy" left

for that destination early on the morning of the 20th. instant.

The situation here as you perceive is not

without difficulty but the loyalty of the leading Chinese and

their readiness to fall in with my wishes has surprised me. I am

informed that they were very greatly relieved at my decision to

abandon my visit to India for the Durbar. It must be borne in

mind that Canton is connected with Hongkong in a manner so

intimate that it can hardly be realised until one has been here

some years. The Chinese of Hongkong almost to a man not only

spathise with the Revolution but are profoundly moved by feel-

-ings of intense enthusiasm for it. Most of them have relatives

and property in Canton and its surrounding towns: they have lost

(they calculate) over 5 million dollars already by the stoppage

of trade. The leading men here are looked to and consulted by the

Revolutionary leaders at every step. In these circumstances it is

not easy to sail on an even keel, but I have every hope that I

shall be able to control the situation satisfactorily and to

retain the confidence of the Chinese population in the British

Covernment.

A

I have not attempted to narrate the events

which have during the past month occurred in China or even in the

Kwangtung Province, accounts of which will probably have appeared

the from ther in the Press. The Humanese troops which had been stationed at

Sam Chun and She Tau Kok since the original outbreak in Canton on April 27th, were withdrawn on November 3rd. and it is under- -stood that they were called for the defence of Weichow. The districts around Mirs Bay declared for the rebels, and there was

little or no fighting of any importance. On 7th. instant about 40 Revolutionaries appeared at Sam Chun (the frontier railway

station) and took all the arms from the Chinese Imperial Maritime

Customs and the Railway Police. A nob from a neighbouring village in China then pillaged the next station (Lo Fung) includ-

-ing

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