CO129-470 - Public Offices - 1921 — Page 217

Z

In any further communication

on this subject, please quota

No. F 189/179/10.

and address,

it to-

not to any person by name,

The Under-Secretary of State,"

Foreign Office,

London, S.W.1.

2.2

to Poling.

No.33

Sir,

215

FOREL14CKS.W.1.

27th Hary, 1921. (REC 28 JAN 21

I am directed by Earl Curzon of Kedleston to transmit to

you herewith paraphrases of telegrams received from His

Majesty's Consul-General at Canton and from His Majesty's

Kinister at Feking respecting the threatened intention of a

section of the de facto Government of Southern China to assume,

from February 1st, the administration of the Chinese Maritime

Customs at the ports in the Provinces under the jurisdiction

of that Government.

2. A similar situation arose in September, 1918, and His

Kajesty's Consul-General at Canton proposed on that occasion

the following measures to frustrate the intentions of the

Southern Authorities:-

(1) To request the Government of Hongkong to cause every

package of cargo in transit for Canton to be discharged in

Hongkong, and to refuse entry to all cargo from Canton;

(11) To receive payment, on account of the Inspector

General of Chinese Maritime Customs, of any other duties

payable by British Subjects;

(111) In the event of an attempt being made to turn out

the Commissioner of Customs at Canton by armed force, to place

a British Naval Guard in the Custom House on behalf of the

British owner, namely, the Inspector General of Chinese Maritime

Customs (Sir Francis Aglen);

(iv) To put a stop to the conveyance of all mails to and

from Canton on behalf of the Chinese Post Office.

Under-Secretary of State,

3./

Colonial Office.