CO129-492 - Governor Sir Clementi - 1925 [12] - 1926 [1-5] — Page 91

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(F.528/G)

Foreign office, S.W.1.

February 12th, 1926.

87

My dear Wilson,

On receiving your letter of February 2nd, I at once telegraphed privately to Macleay to learn his views as to the appointment of Mr. R.F. Johnston to be Colonial Secre- tary at Hongkong. I informed him of the objections which Stubbs had raised and I impressed upon him that we wished to be meticulously careful that nothing should be done which might further complicate the existing situation. also instructed him privately to consult His Majesty's

Consul-General, Canton.

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Both Macleay and Jamieson concur that the appointment would be unsuitable. They consider that Johnston's long association with the Manchu Emperor, his well-known per- sonal loyalty to him, and the fact that he has been connect- ed with him even since his flight from Peking to the Japan- ese concession at Tientsin, would make him inacceptable to the extreme republican elements in Canton and would provide

abundant material for criticism.

S.H. Wilson, K.C.M.G., K.B.E.,

etc.,

etc., etc.. Colonial office.

I...