CO129-493 - Governor Sir Clementi - 1926 [6-8] — Page 274

SECRET (2)

Sir,

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONGKONG,

23th July, 1926.

272

Since the inception of the boycott conference at Canton on the 15th July there has been increased activity by strike pickets along the frontier of the New Territories as shown in the attached report by Mr. W. G. Gerrard, Assistant Superintendent of Police. A crisis came when, on the afternoon of the 20th July Police Motor Boat No.10 went

ashore in the floods due to the tremendous rain-storm of the

19th July on the Chinese side of the Sham Chun River, which

forms the frontier between the New Territories of this

Colony and the Kwangtung Province. The crew of the boat

were seized by Chinese armed strike pickets and were taken

by force to Sham Chun, where they were held as prisoners,

while the motor boat which was fast aground was surrounded

and held by armed strike pickets on the Chinese bank of the

river.

2.

The first news of this incident reached me

on the morning of the 21st instant, and I decided that steps must be taken immediately for the recovery of the men and the boat. Accordingly I arranged with Lieutenant Colonel F. S. Montague-Bates, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., Officer Commending the Troops in the absence of Major-General C. C. Luard, C.B., C.M.G., for a company of the East Surreys to

leave

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

LIEUTENANT COLONEL L.C.H.S. AMERY, M.P..

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