CO129-477 - Public Offices - 1922 — Page 215

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COPY

Loan to Ch'en Chiung-ring; trs. further views on.

CONFIDENTIAL.

No. 10.

Copy to F.0., Hongkong, Joint Bureau, H.K., Mr. A.G. Stephen, Kr. Denham.

H.B.M. Consulate Generel,

CANTON.

March 30, 1922.

sir,

215

Since writing my immediately preceding despatch with regard to General Ch'en's desire to raise a loan for the purpose of defeating the aims of the Kuo Min Tang, I have had

the honour to receive your telegram of March 28, transmitting

one addressed to you by His Excellency the Governor on the

same subject.

I replied that, whilst there could be no doubt as to the expediency of coming to the General's assistance, nor any

reason to consider the security offered inadequate, it had to

be borne in mind that His Majesty's Government would find them-

selves in a somewhat invidious position, were they later on to

come forward and press for repayment, in the event of Sun Yat

Sen being strong enough to oust Ch'en, as such action would be

tantamount to committing themselves to a departure from the

policy of abstaining from interference in Chinese domestic political disputes. Ch'en, although disapproving of much that

Sun does, has not yet renounced allegiance to his political

chief, and is still wrestling with the problem to what extent

consideration for the public weal should be allowed to influence

the traditional Chinese loyalty demanded from pupil to master.

He has privately expressed his regret that Sun should ever have

been/

Sir Beilby Alston, K.C.M.G., C.B.