CO129-482 - Public Offices - 1923 — Page 404

COPT

Changsha No. 28 of August 10th..1023.

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reported in the immediate neighbourhood of Hankow.

The Commissioner of Foreign Affairs informed me,

privately, three days ago that he had received an urgent

telegram from Wu P'ei-fu instructing him, at any cast, to provide steamers immediately to transport troops into Sze- chuan, and holding him personally responsible for the dis- charge of this duty. Today he informs me that two brigades of Honan troops, formed of Lao Yang Jen's brigands incor- porated last year in the regular army, are due here in a few days

under the command of Lao himself, en route to Szechuan; he

added that he and other responsible officials were urging

the Military Governor to arrange for them to be sent as soon as they arrived, in order to avoid a repetition of what occurred when Honan troops arrived for Kiangsi, when they remained here

for several days, demanded money and arms, and made their pre-

sence felt in many undesirable ways.

In my despatch No.65 of May 29th last, I commented on

the desirability of having a cruiser, or at least a sloop,

stationed at Hankow during the summer months, and without being

unduly pessimistic, I must say that it is my considered opinion

that the situation is much more serious now than it was when I

wrote the despatch just referred to. The American Admiral's yacht

is at Ichang and will not return till the end of September; there

are now in port the Japanese cruiser, anchored over a mile below

the British Bund, one gunboat of the Insect class, and two small

American gunboats, whose movements are uncertain.

I am forwarding a copy of this despatch to the Commander-

in-Chief and to the Rear Admiral on the Yangtse.

I have etc.

(sd) Herbert Goffe,

Consul-General.

Sir,

In continuation of my despatch No. 25 of the 23rd ultimo I have the honour to inform you that it is reported that hostilities have broken out in this province. Tan Yen- K'ai arrived at Fengchow on the 7th instant, entirely unopposed. General Hsieh Kuo-kuang, commanding the 3rd Mixed Brigade comprising the 13th, 14th and 21st regiments, having within the last three or four weeks sworn to support Chao Feng-ti as the constitutional governor of Funan, per- sonally welcomed Tan Yen-k'ei on his arrival, The latter

on the 8th instant issued a proclamation declaring that he had been appointed governor of Funan and commander-in-chief of the Hunane se army by Sun Yat-sen. It is considered cer- tain that General Wu Chien-hsteh, in command of the 5th Mixed Brigade comprising the 17th and 18th regiments which is based on Packing, will likewise throw in his lot with Tan Yen-k'ai, although he too pledged himself to support Chao Heng-ti. General Ts'al Cho-yu, as already reported, has declared himself a supported of Tan Yen-k'ai. In this case the whole of the South and West of Funan will be in the hands of Chao's enemies andhis authority will be res- tricted to an area in the North and East approsimat ely bounded by a line running from Liling to Siangtan and therme through Siangsiang, Sinhwa, Anhwa, and Changt eh to Tzeli- in effect about one quarter of the whole province.

Itt is currently believed that Pupeh troops have recent- ly been moved to the upeh-Funan border and are mady at short notice to advance on to Changsha in the event of Chao Feng- ti needing their assistance to maintain his position.

In Changsha tself the people remain calm, not to say apathetic, possibly because, both parties to the atruggle being Hunanese, they do not feel any anxiety for their own safety and are indifferent to the result. There are so

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