CO129-490 - Public Offices - 1925 — Page 771

(This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government, and should be returned to the Foreign Office if not required for official use."

CHINA.

Code telegram to Mr. Pelairet,

Foreign Office,

No. 143. (R).

(Peking).

760

July 12th, 1925. Koon.

=============⠀

Your telegrins Nos. 224 and 225.

In discussion in the House of Commons on

June 15th I said that there should be the fullest

and frankest enquiry. It hardly seems to me from

the reports which I have so far received that this

promise is as yet fulfilled by the enquiries hitherto

held. Some further public judicial enquiry seems

to offer the only solution which I can see of the

present deadlock and the only hope of satisfying

either British or Chinese that the case has been

fairly examined. I presume that if such en enquiry

were held the Municipal Council would suspend

police commissioner pending result und would

undertake to abide by the findings.

Please let me have your suggestions as to how

such a Court of Enquiry could best be constituted.

My idea would be to ask chief justice Shanghai or

Hong Kong to preside and to associate with him an

American and Chinese Judge. Please telegraph

urgently your observations on this proposal.