CO129-498-23 Raising of money for coup d'etat in Canton 24-9-1926 - 3-1-1927 — Page 25

AL SECRET.

Sir,

C.20101

27 OCT 1926

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONGKONG,

24th September, 1926.

2.

I have the honour to address you on a

matter which has caused me some concern since it was first brought to my notice at the end of last year.

It appears that about the middle of August, 1925, an emissary of Ngai Pong Ping, formerly a General in the service of Ch'an Kweng-meng, ex- Governor of Kuang-tung, came to Hong Kong to raise money for a coup d'état which it was hoped would re- establish in Canton a Government friendly to Hong Kong and so end the boycott. A sum of $100,000 was aimed at of which $50,000 was required at once. The emissary say the two Chinese Hembers of the Legislative Council (lir. Chow Shou-son (now Sir Shouson Chow) and Dr. Kotewall) who reported the matter to the Governor (Sir R.E. Stubbs) at an interview at which there were also present the Colonial Secretary (Sir Claud Severn), the Assistant Colonial Secretary (lir. Fletcher) and the Acting Secretary for Chinese Affairs Cir. Tratman). According to the information given to me, lir. Chow and Dr. Kotewall said that, if the Government saw no objection, the Chinese merchants would endeavour to raise the money, and they

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

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

&c.,

&c.,

&c.

were