CO129-451 - Public Offices - 1918 — Page 588

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of Amoy, by force if necessary; if force had to be used, he

could not undertake to guarantee safety to foreign lives or

property; but if the foreigners would induce Tuchun Li Hou-

chi to withdraw from Amoy with his men, Ch'en would be able

to give any guarantee required,

Mr. Etoret was inclined to send the letter officially

to the Tuchun; but I advised him to recommend the priest to

reply to the letter, pointing out to Chiên that any attack

on Amoy would originate from himself, and that he could not

avoid responsibility for any damage which might be done.

A wireless installation has appeared on the roof of

the Japanese Consulate. In conversation with the Commis-

Bioner for Foreign Affairs I enquired whether Mr. Yatabe,

the Japanese Consul, had mentioned to him the reason for

the installation: Mr. Lo Chong replied to me that Mr. Yatabe

had never mentioned the matter to him, but had simply put

the apparatus up. Mr. Lo added that he did not like to

speak to Mr. Yatabe about it, as he feared that Mr. Yatabe

would reply that matters within the Consulate precincts do

not concern Mr. Lo. I do not think that the apparatus is

anything more than of merely local use, or that it has been

erected for more than temporary expediency; but the fact of

its erection without reference to, or demur from, the Chin-

ese local authorities is worth noting as a precedent.

A representative of the British-American Tobacco Com-

pany, who arrived on September 14th from Chuan-chou the

old quasi-seaport some 50 miles N. E. of Amoy, informed me

that the north end of that town was besieged by southern

forces on the 13th, It was not expected that the garrison

of some 4,000 government troops would hold out very long.

and the Co's representative, a British subject, decided to

leave the city. He experienced some difficulty in passing

the south gate of Chuan-chou, the guard telling him that

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