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The method of instruction is Japanese and not Russian. It is sound and good,! though whether it makes for initiative is open to doubt. The great fault with the system appears to be that the future officer will leave the school well drilled but without practice in drilling his men.
After six months with the rifle the cadets are instructed in the machine gun, though owing to the training weapons having been requisitioned for the front I was unable to see the guns or the system.
I was shown the result of five weeks' infantry training in a squad of cadets, who performed open order drill with precision and smartness, that is an innovation in South China, and equalled the discipline of the metropolitan soldiers of the Ch general.
I was unable to see any classroom instruction, though it is evident that the students are taught tactics in class as well as Canton citizenship, as maps and black- boards were in evidence, while the classrooms were well fitted out with desk and
benches.
Accommodation.-The students do not eat and sleep in the same room, while wash houses are also provided. Each student has a trestle bed on which his blankets are neatly rolled, while his pack and haversack are kept on a shelf, and his Japanese rifle with brass sight protector has an arm rack provided for it.
The rooms are too crowded to suit European ideas of hygiene, but the general comfort of the school was a great advance on any such establishment that I have seen in China.
The instructors have a special mess with table-cloths provided, while the food appears ample and of good quality.
Dress. The instructional staff are clothed in the usual Chinese khaki service dress, but the students wear the southern blue, with leathern belt and bayonet frog, putties and straw sandals for parade.
The rifles are Japanese and appear to be kept in good condition. Numbers. I saw about 600 students at the two branches of the school, but in peace time the numbers must be greater, probably 1,000.
I was unable to procure the numbers by provinces in the school, but I should imagine the southern students to be in the minority. On looking at the students' letter rack, I noticed several letters with the Federated Malay States stamps on them. I was informed that several of the students came froin Singapore and the Straits Settlements. It would be interesting to know if these students enrol in the Chinese provincial armies or whether they return to the Malay States with their military knowledge as an asset for the hoped-for colonial insurrections fostered by the Soviet.
The average age of the cadets, I was informed, is 19.
Conclusion. After my visit I came to the conclusion that the school as NOW carried on is distinctly a military asset for the master that owns it; its results show that discipline and cohesion can be inculcated into Chinese southern armies, and that the old idea of the general with the greatest numbers winning will be dissipated by the students in the future; that it is doubtful if the Kuomintang's national aspirations will be benefited by the school if the students from other provinces are drafted into the local army for purely provincial aggrandisements that as a means of propaganda the school, if used as intended, might have a great influence in the future of China.
I have, &c.
G. R. V. STEWARD, Colonel,
Military Attaché.
[F 2699/2/10]
ANNEX III.
Memorandum respecting the Political Situation in Canton, by Mr. A. L. Scott, Vice-Consul at Canton.
CANTON remains to-day, as it has always heen, the centre of advanced political thought in China and a bed of intrigue and revolution. It was there that foreign trade was solely conducted up to the first, so-called "opium," war of Great Britain against China, and for that reason it bore the first brunt of the attacks made by the foreign aggressor." The last occasion, however, on which foreign force was felt at Canton was in 1860, and the sharp lesson of the Boxer rebellion and its fruits of armed foreign intervention passed unscathed over the heads of the Cantonese. The
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first revolutionary efforts were directed against the Manchus, and after one abortive attempt in 1910, steps were taken to seduce the soldiers from their allegiance and the revolution of 1911 was successful in overthrowing that dynasty. From that date until after the death of President Yuan Shih-kai, Canton enjoyed comparative peace, but from 1917 onwards it has, together with the rest of China, been a prey to various military factions and their leaders, who have treated the town in the manner of a feudal possession and enriched themselves by hattening upon the inhabitants. Sometimes it was a Kwangsi invader who was in power, sometimes the Kuomintang, under "President" Sun or his chief lieutenant, Chan Kwing-ming. On the two latter falling out "President" Sun was driven from Canton, but returned in January 1923 with the aid of Yunnanese, Kwangsi, and other mercenary troops whom he had called in to his aid. He also possessed a certain number of provincial (ie., Cantonese) troops, who formed a separate unit. To glance back again, it will unfortunate proclamation was issued by the Hong Kong Government (for which they be remembered that on the inauguration of "President" Sun in Canton in 1921, an
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later made an apology) warning all in that colony not to have anything to do with an unrecognised Government. The ill-chosen language of this proclamation was never forgiven by the Canton authorities, and when trouble arose with the seamen in Hong Kong in January 1922. they lent them their tacit support, with the result that a movement, originally purely industrial and inherently capable of settlement. developed into an ugly political situation whereby a general strike of all Chinese took place which threatened the life of the colony. On this occasion, however, owing to the firm attitude and goodwill displayed by Chan Kwing-ming as Governor, no untoward incident occurred as was feared, at Canton. On Dr. Sun's return to Canton (as described above) he at first made overtures to various of the Powers with a view to obtaining some measure of recognition for his Government. These having failed owing to the existence of the Government in Peking, which the Powers formally recognised as the Government of China. Dr. Sun felt himself thwarted. and very soon fell into the hands of a small group of extremists and no longer concealed his anti-foreign. and particularly anti-British. bias. A claim renewed by the Southern Government for a share of the customs "surplus" led to a threat to seize the customs at Canton, which brought about a naval demonstration on the part of the Powers at Canton. This solidarity surprised the Chinese authorities and led the abandonment of the plan, but the action taken again acerbated Dr. Sun and his entourage, already antagonised by the recognition accorded by the Powers to a notoriously corrupt and militaristic Government in Peking, with very ineffectual control over the provinces. It was about this time that a Soviet consulate was pened at Canton, and from this date the dissemination of advanced political theories and anti-foreign symptoms among students and officials became more manifest. There were several strikes at mission schools (both French and British) owing to the refusal of the school authorities to countenance the formation of political societies among the students, and an agitation against the foreign conces- sions drew to a climax after the bomb outrage on the 21st June, 1924, when an attempt was made to assassinate the Governor of Indo-China. Proposed new pass regulations for Chinese entering the concession after 10 P.M., and new traffic regula tions, led to a lightning strike of all Chinese employed on the island, without any previous protest or demand for their modification having been presented to the Concession authorities. When the strike was eventually settled, after five weeks, the
strikers only points won by the
were certain small emendations in the traffic regulations and the extension of the pass regulations to foreigners and Chinese alike. The old police (who had left their posts) were dismissed and new ones engaged. The political character of the strike may be illustrated by the fact that at the conferences held the representatives of the "strikers" present were all outside parties and not These had no demands to make, and came back employees on the island at all. without any previous stipulations. It was, however, recommended to employers to pay half wages for the period of the strike, inasmuch as they had been forced to leave their employment by intimidation. The real issue was, of course, the measure of control exercised by the foreign municipal authorities, and alleged racial discrimination. During the course of negotiations, most of the Chinese officials showed themselves distinctly uncompromising, and it was not until the personal influence of Dr. Sun himself was enlisted that a settlement was finally secured. Meanwhile, a movement was on foot among the Chinese merchants for the expulsion of the non-Cantonese forces, together with the more extreme elements of the Kuomintang from Canton, and their eagerness to place their property in security
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