473
7
:
Fo
519 15/29
paramount importance to this Colony and to British trade in China of the establishment of a stable Government in Canton, I should be induced to turn a blind eye to the shipment of arme, provided that he could show me that the Consul General
was favourably disposed to the scheme. I find it difficult to believe that anybody who knew me as intimately as Mr. Stephen did could have formed this opinion but if that is not the explanation I am at a loss to suggest any.
5. So far as I can recollect, the only time that
Mr. Stephen ever spoke to me about the Merchant Volunteers
was sometime in the year 1923, whether before or after his
letter to the Consul General I cannot remember, but probably
before. He told me that such a corps was being formed and
that he had been asked to ascertain whether, if Dr Sun Yat
Sen agreed, I could allow them to buy a quantity of arms
and ammunition from the confiscated stocks of which we had
large numbers in store. I replied that I was certain His
Majesty's Government would not listen to the suggestion
and I could not, of course, do anything without their permission. The subject then dropped and I feel fairly certain that he never mentioned it again.
6. I may observe that it was not until after the
"Hev" had reached Canton that I realized that the arms on
board her were intended for the Merchant Volunteers. My telegrams of 25th and 30th of July and 2nd of August were sent under the impression that the shipment was intended for Dr Sun Yat Sen's Government.
The interview with Mr. Law, Acting Commissioner
of Customs, which is referred to in Mr. Giles' despatch No.140 to Sir R. Macleay, took place on the 10th of June but of course he did not then know by what vessel the arme
would
A
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