CO129-499-4 Canton situation- governor's despatches 18-3-1927 - 22-4-1927 — Page 75

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I can

I now come to the charge against me of having

filed to keep the military accounts accurately.

honestly say that all my accounts have been kept in a

public manner and are open to audit at any time. At the

last military He-organisation Conference, I had already

published a statement of all military receipts and payments.

From July to November last year, the ordinary and incidental

expenses, comprising all military expenses totalled less

then $43,000,000. Previously when we had not as yet

advanced beyond Kwongtung, it had been estimated that the ordinary expenses for the Province should be $4,000,000

a month; but as this ultimately proved insufficient, an

appropriation of $500,000 was voted in addition. The se

ordinary expenses of over $4,000,000 are included in the

$43,000,000 before mentioned. From July to November last

year - a period of 5 months - a sum of about $25,000,000

was advanced at the rear in Kwongtung, after deducting the military expenses spent at the front, which amounted

to $18,000,000. It was out of this $18,000,000 that the

expenses for the mainteance of the 11 Divisions that had

been sent out from Kwongtung on the Northern Expedition

and the monthly subsidy of $300,000 in aid of Kwangsi were

paid. It included all expenses incurred during the five

months on straw-sandals, rice, hospitals, supply-stations,

and communications. As you see though we have only spent

$18,000,000 in a long campaign of 5 months' duration, we

have secured the possession of 5 or 6 additional provinces.

I venture to ask if anybody else, who in any war in China or

elsewhere has led a huge force, and captured many provisces

in a camaign of 5 months' duration, killingmore than

30,000 officers and men, could have accomplished this

for mere $18,000,000 ? While our officers and units at

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the