3
HONGKONG.
$39/4/25 Strike and Boycott.
No. 1.
The Governor of Hongkong to the Secretary of State for the
Confidential.
SIR,
Colonies.
(Received 1st December, 1925.)
Government House, Hongkong, 30th October, 1925.
In a series of despatches ending with my confidential despatch of the 16th October* I have informed you of the progress of events in connection with the strike and boycott, and I have now the honour to submit my final report before leaving the Colony.
2. The situation generally remains unchanged. Confused fighting is reported to be in progress on all sides of Canton, and the anti-Red forces appear to be holding their ground rather more successfully than was anticipated. One of the Chinese cruisers recently seized ten strikers' launches in the neighbourhood of Macao, and a number of the strikers, including seven of the leaders, were shot. In the same locality the peasantry, in exasperation at the extortion of the strikers' pickets, seized a number of men, secured them in pig baskets, and threw them into the sea.
3. Certain overtures have recently been made by merchants in Cantony which may eventually lead to more formal negotiations, but there is still no evidence that those in authority have any desire to put an end to the boycott. There is little doubt that they hope by means of successful military operations so to dominate the whole of South China, as to be in a position to dictate their own terms for the resumption of trade relations with Hongkong.
4. It remains for me to place on record my appreciation of the services which have been rendered by individual members of the community in connection with the crisis. I may mention in the first place Mr. Chow Shou-son and Mr. R. H. Kotewall, who represent the Chinese upon the Legislative Council. It is im- possible to speak too highly of the work which they have done. In the first panic, when the Chinese might have been likened to a herd of frightened sheep, they immediately came forward and shamed and compelled their fellow-countrymen into at least a semblance of courage.
Anonymous letters threatening violence and murder were received by them daily, a reward for their heads was posted in Canton, and still they worked incessantly, gather- ing at first a few of the more venturesome spirits, who in their turn brought in others, till in a short time the whole Chinese Community had forgotten its fears. Later on, when generals and politicians began to gather in Hongkong from different parts of China, they rendered most useful service in explaining the policy
* 51869; not printed.
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