CO129-491 - Public Offices - 1925 — Page 35

In any further communication

on this subject, please quote

No. F 4248/194/10.

and address-

not to any person by name,

but to-

**The Under-Secretary of State,"

Foreign Office,

London, S.W.L.

sir:-

C.O.

40600

7 Sal 25

FOREIGN OFFICE.

S.W.1.

33

September 5th, 1925.

With reference to your letter No. 39024/25 of

H39014 August 27th, I am directed by Mr. Secretary Chamberlain

to state that the situation at Canton is receiving his

careful attention and that he is most anxious to remedy

the serious position with which the Government of

Hongkong and the commercial interests of that colony

are confronted.

2. It would appear, however, that the so-called

government at Canton have informed His Majesty's Consul- General that they neither published nor approved the

"Coastal Navigation Rules" which are the subject of the

enclosure to your letter under reference. It is proposed shortly to test this denial by sending experimentally a

-

British steamer from Hongkong to Canton please see

Canton telegrams No. 16 of August 26th and No. 17 of

August 30th, copies of which have been forwarded to

your department. In the enclosure to your letter an

ultimatum to the Canton Government is recommended, but

Mr. Chamberlain is doubtful as to what action would be

appropriate were the ultimatum in itself to be without

effect. He doubts whether a blockade would do more than

provide anti-British propaganda for Canton and the rest

of China, and any more drastic action than a blockade he

is certain would have a most unfortunate reaction. It

must be remembered, too, that we are bound by the

Washington China Treaty to full and frank communication with the other powers concerned before taking any steps affecting the sovereignty and independence of China.

Any

The Under-Secretary of State,

Colonial Office.