Y
7
of re-establishing friendly relations with the British Government. Nevertheless, Mr. Kemp and Mr. Hallifax carried away from the Conference a distinct impression that the Canton delegates and the Canton Government were really anxious to be rid of the anti-British boycott. 3.
The Conference adjourned sine die on the 23rd July, in order that the Canton delegation might consult its Government on the British proposal of a development loan and that the British delegates might consult their Government on the Canton proposal of an International Commission of Enquiry into the Shake-Shameen shooting affray of the 23rd June, 1925.
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It is interesting and important to trace the evolution of the demand made by the Canton delegation for a Commission of Enquiry. In the statement ready by Er. Eugene Ch'on at the meeting of the Conference on the 16th July, there is the following passage:- *The question as to which side fired the first shot is not a capital issue in view of the actual circumstances of the case and the
grim results of the shooting....... All the relevant facts of the case support the view that, even if the Shame en firing were done in the first instance in so-called self- defence (which is categorically denied), it was excessive and, therefore, legally unjustified." The British delegation replied on the 19th July:- We consider that the question of whose act gave rise to the tragedy is of vital importance, and on this point we must insist that not only the evidence of British and French witnesses attest the fact that the shooting began on the Chinese side, but there are also on record written statements by the Danish and Swedish Consuls and American citizens, who were present at the time and assert definitely of their own knowledge that the first shots
were
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