CO129-434 - Governor Sir May - 1916 [7-8] — Page 267

+A CONFIDENTIAL.

HONGKONG.

42469. Regd 5 Sep 19168

263

GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

25th July, 1916.

Sir,

God 1404865.

In continuation of my Confidential Despatch of

the 6th instant, I have the honour to inform you that the

$

political situation in the Kuangtung Province continues to be

extremely critical.

On the 10th instant a Presidential Mandate was

published in Canton appointing General Luk Wing-ting (Lu Jung

-ting in Mandarin dialect) of Kwangsi to be Governor of Kwang-

-tung. General Lung, who is General Luk's father-in-law, is

quite prepared to hand over the reins of Government to him.

But apparently the rebel Sham Tsen-huen and his coadjutors have

no intention of obeying the instructions of the Central Govern-

-ment. The rebels have therefore continued their advances on

Canton and have within the last few days captured Kong Mun, Fatshen and Sheklung. The Kowloon-Canton railway between the

last named town and Canton has been cut in three places by robber bands acting in concert with the rebels and the telegraph wires have also been cut. Communication with His Britannic Majesty's Consul-General at Canton is kept open by means of wireless telegraphy between the Haval Authorities and the United States

cruiser

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

80..

ANDREW BONAR LAW, M.P..

&o..

&c...