countrymen. These men were found in Mr. Li Yau-tsun, Dr. S. W. Tso, Mr. Ho Kwong, Mr. J. M. Wong, Mr. M. K. Lo, Mr. Ho Leung, Mr. Wong Kwong-tin, Mr. Fung Ping-shan, Mr. H. K. Hung, Mr. Wong Tak-kwong, and Mr. Li Jow-son; and these became emissaries of the truth to their fellow Chinese. Seven days later the leaven had begun to work, and some 30 men could be collected together in my office to give advice and views to Mr. Chow Shou-son and me on the situation. The opinions of these men were sifted and selected, and such informal Consultations were repeated from time to time with smaller groups of specialists drawn from this and other bodies of men. In this way, while a sense of civic pride and civic responsibility was instilled in these men, contact was kept with Chinese public opinion at all times.
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Necessity for continued watchfulness.
110. Though we have achieved a certain measure of success in maintaining peace and order in the Colony, we are by no means out of the danger that has beset us. The Canton Authorities have in no whit slackened their efforts against us. The boycott is still being conducted with the same severity as ever; there is no sign of any proposal to restore communication between Canton and Hongkong; and attempts have been made, even during the last two days, to frighten our street lecturers, and to derail one of our lower tramcars. If it were only the Chinese in disagree- ment with us there might be some hope of a settlement in the near future, but unfortunately we have the Russian Bolshevists behind them, and these would stop at nothing to work our ruin. I do not think that the British public even now realises the extent of Russian influence in Canton, or the danger in which Hongkong stands as a result of that influence. Every Russian steamer from the North brings down a dozen or so Russians, and our informa- tion shows that there are now a thousand of them in Canton as against only about a hundred before the defeat of the Yunnanese. Moreover, large imports of war materials are being made by the Russians: over 10,000 modern rifles, 10,000,000 cartridges and several field guns have already reached Canton. The rifles are said to be of Japanese make, and may perhaps have been captured in 1920 from the Kolchak troops in Siberia. If this inflow con- tinues, the Russians will soon be the real masters of Canton by virtue of numbers as well as influence; they will train the Canton troops in such a way as to make them a real menance to Hong- kong. The strength of our frontier is not sufficient to enable us to regard this danger with equanimity, and the record of the Red Army in Russia shows that its officers are by no means to be regarded as a negligible force. It is reported to us, though I do not know with what truth, that the Russians are putting together parts of aeroplanes and submarines at Whampoa. Even if this is not a fact, the idea is evidently there, and there is nothing inherently impossible in this purpose. I am unable to make any suggestion as to the means by which this danger can be met beyond making it clear that the antagonism of Canton is not the antagonism primarily of the Chinese people, and should not be lightly treated.
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