CO129-477 - Public Offices - 1922 — Page 183

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anticipate an anti-foreign outbreak in the immediate

future nor indeed in four or five years or even

olear that the Foot of the

longer. It is, however,

future trouble to which he refers lies in the fact

that owing to the inaccessibility of the napi tal

of the province to foreign gunboats, the authorities

consider themselves immune from reprisals for any

acts which they may commit against foreigners or

ghinese in their employ. It was precisely for

reasons of this nature that I was led, during the

discussions last summer of the Diplomation Body as

to the means of bringing home to the chinese

Government their duty to hold the higher military

Authorities responsible for damage done to foreign

interests by their troops at Iohang, Wuohang and

elsewhere, to propose that we should demand a

foreign settlement at Iohang (see my telegram No.244

of June 24th last). The importance of preparing

Ighang, the gateway to the reanhes of the upper

Yangtze, as the base for foreign support, by the

creation of a foreign settlement, was perfectly

obvious to all, except apparently the United States

Government.

Mr Hewlett is a shrewd observer and an

officer of mature experience, and his opinion is

entitled to receive careful consideration. At the

same time it should be remembered that foreign

interests in Szechuan are comparatively small at

present, and though protection may be rendered

difficult by reason of the inaccessibility of the

Province, it may be doubted whether the Szechuanese

(Or