CO129-490 - Public Offices - 1925 — Page 662

uprising from his refuge in the settlement, which he had left to resume the command of his troops and initiate a renewal of hostilities round Shanghai. The principal consuls accordingly represented to their Ministers that the Consular Body be authorised to refuse the asylum of the settlements during the present troubles to all Chinese military commanders, the latter being defined as all officers holding, or who had recently held, the rank of general, as well as to their political intermediaries. As a result of a meeting of the Diplomatic Body a reply was despatched to the senior consul in the form of a resolution adopted by the foreign representatives to the following effect :-

Resolved that with a view to maintaining the neutrality of Shanghai, and for the protection of foreign life and property therein, the Consular Body are authorised, as an emergency measure and during the continuance of fighting and the presence of bodies of troops near Shanghai (but no longer), and without referring the matter to the Diplomatic Body, in their discretion to expel from the international settlement (or to refuse admission thereto) Chinese military leaders (being any officer with the rank of general now or recently having active command of troops), and political chiefs who serve as the intermediaries of such militarists, who may, in the opinion of the Consular Body, use the settlement for fitting out military expeditions or otherwise as a base of military operations. or for political agitation."

It was understood that the French Minister would send similar instructions to bis consul-general in regard to the French concession. At the same time the consuls were reminded of the directions of the Diplomatic Body when a similar question arose in November on Sun Yat-sen's arrival in Shanghai, to the effect that Chinese military or political leaders arriving at Shanghai or already installed there should be amicably but clearly warned by the foreign authorities concerned that no political or military activity on their part would be allowed, and would be followed by an immediate request to leave (see paragraph 5 of my despatch No. 757 of the 29th November). It subsequently transpired that the French authorities were making difficulties about the precise interpretation of these instructions (in accordance with their customary tendency to keep on good terms with all parties and factions), but the Dean's telegram has been transmitted by the consuls concerned to the municipal council of the international settlement for the necessary action.

13. The question of the removal of the arsenal, which constitutes one of the principal bones of contention attracting rival Chinese militarists to contend for the Control of the Shanghai area, bas of course long been on the tapis, and I had made representations on the subject last autumn to the Minister for Foreign Affairs (then Dr. Koo), who had received them sympathetically, and had stated that Marshal Wo Pei-fu intended to deal with the matter of the removal as soon as hostilities ceased. On the 17th December the senior Minister had handed in at the Wai-chiao Pu the following memorandum :-

During the last few years the vicinity of the international settlement of Shanghai has repeatedly been the scene of fighting between contending Chinese armies.

With a view to affording protection to foreign life and property as well as to the lives and properties of the peaceful Chinese inhabitants of the settlements, the foreign Powers have on several occasions been compelled to take various military precautions.

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The foreign Powers are thus often placed in an extremely embarrassing position, and it is evident that it would be far better for them, as well as for China, if ways and means were found to avoid in future that the immediate neighbourhood of the settlement at Shanghai become again the scene of military action.

"This could be attained by the removal of that part of the Kiangnan arsenal which manufactures military supplies, and of the Lunghua powder factory. which latter, moreover, constitutes a perpetual danger to the ever-increasing number of dwelling houses in its neighbourhood.

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These two institutions are the prize for which the contending parties always strive in every conflict, and which make military operations on a large scale in the surrounding country of Shanghai a foregone conclusion whenever hostilities break out between the military chiefs of the Lower Yang-tsze region. "The removal once and for all of the Kiangnan arsenal and the Lunghua powder factory from the immediate vicinity of Shanghai to some more suitable

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locality in the Province of Kiangsu, more remote from China's greatest shipping port and commercial centre, would not only remove a source of frequent anxiety for the community of Shanghai, it would also relieve the foreign Powers of an unpleasant and embarrassing duty, and would finally contribute in no small measure to the consolidation of friendly relations between the Chinese Central Government and the Powers.

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These reasons seem to the heads of Legation of sufficient weight to warrant their suggestion to the Chinese Government to take this matter into serious consideration, and to devise means to ensure in this way peace and tranquillity to Shanghai and its neighbourhood."

When the matter was brought up again last month the Peking Government themselves took the initiative by issuing on the 15th January a series of mandates abolishing the post of Defence Commissioner at Shanghai, ordering the cessation of all military work at the arsenal and its transfer to civilian control as an industrial undertaking, and directing that in future no troops were to be stationed at Shanghai nor any military organ set up there; and on the 17th January the Wai-chiao Pu replied to the senior Minister's memorandum above referred to in a communication quoting the texts of the above mandates, and adding that from the date of their publication no troops whatsoever would be allowed under any pretext to make Shanghai and its neighbourhood the scene of military operations, and expressing the hope of the Chinese Government that the Powers would sympathise with and approve of this intention. At the time these steps were taken Shanghai and the arsenal were in the hands of Ch'i Hsieh-yuan, who was in rebellion against the Central Government, and the issue of the mandates in question was obviously a gesture designed to enlist foreign support. The Manchurian forces having now recovered control of the locality on behalf of the Peking Government, it remains for the latter to carry their good intentions into effect.

14. There remain to chronicle during the month Chang Tso-lin's departure from Tien-tsin on the 11th January, and his arrival back in Mukden on the following day; and Wu Pei-fu's arrival at the beginning of the year with a handful of troops at Hankow, whence he proceeded down river to a locality in the neighbourhood. He does not seem to have played any part in Ch'i Hsieh-yuan uprising, and appears to have withdrawn for the time being unmolested into retirement.

I have, &c.

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R. MACLEAY.

653

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Mone ated.

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