CO129-391 - Acting Governor Claud Severn Governor Sir May - 1912 [7-8] — Page 145

victorious enemies.

1.16. The interests of this Colony lie all on the

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side of the preservation of law and order. The Chinese Mercantile Community both here and in Canton are, as far as I can ascertain, convinced that there is the very greatest danger in the collapse of the existing Covernment, although a change in the Governor-

-General provided the newcomer were a Cantonese would be welcomed by many and would not be seriously objected to by the supporters of Wu Hon-man provided they were assured that the Government

would be progressive and would not be allowed to slip back into

the old ruts from which the Manchus have been ousted. That is why

the Cantonese favour a Republic.

15.17.

Such is the situation as far as I have been

able to gauge it. Mr. Hallifax informs me that the lower classes

in Hongkong interpreted my transfer to this Colony as an indica-

-tion that England contemplated taking some share in putting the

Canton Province in order. He has been asked by several leading

Chinese here, singly and in confidential conversation, what

chance there is of England taking such a step, and on the 19th.

instant he received information from a perfectly sound source that Kong Hung Yan has returned from Peking, where he has been interviewing Yuan Shih Kai. He was very prominent in Canton as a negotiator for peace during the Revolution. Yuan suggested to him that as the state of things in Canton was so desperate, the only

~

course open was for the Canton Government to ask for foreign intervention, and to get the Canton Province run as say the Customs are run; for a limited period of twenty or thirty years. Kong dare not however breathe the suggestion in Canton, for it is as much as his life is worth. Yuan also it appears had it that my appointment to Hongkong was for the purpose of interfering in and perhaps annexing the Canton Province. That this being so the safest move was to ask for assistance to prevent interference being forged on them; directly the Powers wanted to intervene, China would be helpless, and a request would save her face and

put