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asserts of his own knowledge that the first shots were fired from Shakee. Mr. Brenan informs me that, as the result of the publication of this statement, the Canton Labour Union withdrew last month all servants from the Swedish Conservancy Engineer at Canton. The matter has now been adjusted: but the incident shows what treatment witnesses hostile to the Cantonese case may expect to receive in Canton. Mr. Brenan also tells me that, in the event of an enquiry, the Canton Government is resolved to call Sir James Jamieson as a witness, in order no doubt to bait him in the witness bar. Sir James believed that his life would be in danger if he went into the native city from Shameen; and I suggest that, as he is now in London, he should be consulted as to the necessity or otherwise of the suggested condition that the place of the enquiry should not be in Canton, but in neutral territory, say Macao.
I discussed in Executive Council on the 19th August the question whether our reply to the enquiry proposal should be further delayed; and the Council then, having before it your telegram of the 17th August, unanimously advised that, in view of the military situation which appears to be increasingly unfavourable to Canton and concerning which I refer you to my recent despatches, our reply should not yet be given.
4.
If it were certain that on our reply being given the Canton Government would at once either accept or refuse, I should be in favour of answering without further delay: for, if they accepted, they would have to lift the boycott; and, if they refused, we should be rid of the enquiry proposal. But I apprehend that they will neither accept nor refuse, but continue to play a waiting game. Mr. Brenan now believes that the object of the Canton
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