CO129-493 - Governor Sir Clementi - 1926 [6-8] — Page 528

No

SECRET

Copies to

HB.M.Consul-General,

Canton. No.

178

H.B.M. Minister,

Peking.No.21

Sir,

523

;

ERNMENT HOUSE.

C. 19797.0 23rd August, 1926.

21 SEP 1926

15607 1.36

16912

2.

-

Ka

Mr. J.F. Brenan is on a visit to me and I have discussed with him your telegram of the 17th August on the subject of the boycott negotiations.

If it were absolutely certain that the reply proposed by His Majesty's Goverment in your telegram of the 4th August would be refused by the Canton Government, then there would be no need for the two further conditions suggested in my telegram of the 7th August. But if there is an international enquiry into the Shakee Shameen affair of the 23rd June, 1925, then, unless the Canton Government makes a deposit of the cost in advance, there is every probability that His Majesty's Treasury will have to defray the whole cost of the enquiry. Moreover, if the enquiry is held in Canton, there will be danger to witnesses in favour of the British case. instance of what may be expected has already occurred. You will observe from page 9 of the print enclosed in my secret despatch of the 28th July that a statement was made by the British delegation at the meeting of the conference on the 19th July that there is on record a despatch written by the Swedish Consul, who was present at the time, and

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

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

&c.

&C.

&c.

An

asserts