CO129-494 - Governor Sir Clementi - 1926 [9-10] — Page 354

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Sii S. Wilson 92. Amery

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When they rejected the proposal of the Governor of Hong Kong that an ultimatum should be sent to Canton and followed up by a blockade of the port, His Majesty's Government promised further con- sideration of the minor measures of coercion suggested by the Commodore. These measures were that the work of the port should be brought to a stand-still by driving the Chinese junks down the river so that ocean-going vessels would be unable to load or unload, and that Chinese shipping should be prevented from entering the port. Mr. Clutterbuck and I attended a conference at the Foreign Office on 4th instant to hear the result of the further consideration of the se suggestions by the fighting departments.

The Admiralty representative said that since the last conference they had ascertained that the General Officer Commanding's scheme to garrison Shameen with two platoons was based on a guarantee from the Commodore that these troops could be evacuated if

ne ce ssary. The Admiralty were not prepared to back

that guarantee, and that completely altered the situa-

tion. Shameen would certainly be attacked if the

Commodore's proposals were carried out. It could only

be defended by bombarding or bombing Canton. The Admiralty were definitely not prepared to recommend

bombardment of a crowded city full of women and

children and highly inflammable. Their considered

conclusion therefore was that the only measure a

which it was practicable for the Navy to take were

those already take n i.e. to drive the strike pickets

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off the water front.

Incidentally it appeared that the Commodore

had