CO129-497 - Public Offices - 1926 — Page 164

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that reason and in view of the great importance

of the decision now to be taken that I submit it..

But it has the disadvantage that if it failed of its

purpose it might well hesten a crisis.

I venture in any case to beg most earnestly for

immediate instructions on this telegram. It is com-

monly urged that our present troubles are in great

measure due to our policy of lagging constantly behind

events and to our repeated failure to apply in time

appropriate remedy whether by concession or the reverssq.

To my mind it is clear that if we let things

drift on the Yangtze a situation may at any moment

arise which would force upon us immediate choice

between armed action in defence of our vital interesta

or their abandonment by complete capitulation to

Cantonese.

I feel confident that His Majesty's Government

entertain no question of the latter alternative.

I

en particularly enxious to be regarded neither as an

alarmist nor as an exaggerator. I should like there...

fore to state in conclusion that though blind optimism

would be criminal in the existing circumstances I still

cherish the hope that as a result of the general tone

of my conversations with Chen that with luck and good

guidance we may be able to come to terms and so avoid

the most unpleasant alternative of defending last ditch

whatever that may be.

I feel it is only right to add that in some

quarters here it is thought that present big move of

Northern troops south along the Kinhan and Pukow

line/