CO129-494 - Governor Sir Clementi - 1926 [9-10] — Page 407

SECRET

opies to:

anton No. 251

Beking No. 50

C.21189

IS NOV 1926

GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

383

HONGKONG.

12th October, 1926.

=

Gov.15042.

Howly965

Sir,

With reference to my secret despatches

of the 27th June, the 16th August, and to the 19th paragraph of my secret despatch of the 25th September,

I have the honour, at the risk of seeming importunate, to raise again the question of according de jure recognition to the Canton Government and to other regional governments in China; and, with a view to assisting the further consideration of a matter so

Inclosure .l.vitally important to Hong Kong, I attach a memorandum

describing in briefest outline the sombre back-ground

of Cantonese history which, since the Chinese revolu- tion of 1911, has loomed behind this peaceful and

prosperous Colony.

2.

Hong Kong has been placed by Nature close

to Canton as the deep-sea port of the magnificent

valley of the West River, which with its many tributaries is the main thoroughfare of shipping

and commerce in the provinces of Kuang-tung and

Kuang-hsi. These provinces, once the Liang Kuang Viceroyalty, are very extensive and populous. The -

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

LIEUTENANT COLONEL L.C.M.S. INERY, M.P.,

&C..

&0..

&c.

area