CO129-495 - Governor Sir Clementi - 1926 [11-12] — Page 81

COPY.

Mr.

King,

sir,

BOLOSURE NO. 6.

78

I went to Canton on the 26th October, 1926

as instructed and beg to report as follows:-

(1) The number of Russian Bolsheviks (including women)

at present in Canton, does not exceed 200, mostly in Goverment Service, none have shops.

(2) About 2000 Russian instructora, dressed in the

Chinese uniform have been sent to the north front

in the last 6 months.

(3) 10 aeroplanes arrived from Vladivostok. 7 were sent to the war front and 3 remain at Canton for instruc-

tion purposes. 3 seaplanes are in course of con- struction at Canton. There are also two old seaplanes there. There are 17 Russian pilots.

(4) There are two motor boats which run between Canton

and Whampoa:- The "Pavloff" (150 HP) and the "Neftisindicat" (18 khots). A motor boat called "Chang-Kai-Shek has just been built at the Lee Man Wharf. It is 80 feet long with 225 H.P. engine and is armed with machinery for laying mines. The boat cost $30,000. There are several smaller motor boats armed with machine guns on the bows.

(5) 1000 machine guns have been brought from Russia and

have been mounted on the Chinese gunboats from which the old guns have been removed. Some of the guns were sent to the war front together with several thousand Russian rifles. Some 3 and 6" guns have been mounted on the new fort at Whampoa. The guns have been camoflaged and are fitted with machinery for lowering into the ground. The Whampoa cadets number about 8000, all are well dressed and are

armed