CO129-500-1 Canton situation- governor's despatches 18-5-1927 - 9-6-1927 — Page 20

Encla. No

no12.

2011

4

27

reorganization. A further account of the arrest

of its former editor, Li Esoi, is now enclosed (see paragraph 2 of my secret despatch of the 26th May).

4.

20

On the 30th May there occurred what was

at first thought to be a repetition of the outrage on the s.s. "Lungshan" (see my secret despatches of

the 19th and 24th May). The s.s. "Kinshan", belong-

ing to the same British company, while passing Whampoa about 1.40 p.m. was suddenly fired upon

from the South bank of the river, one of the

bullets narrowly missing the officers on the bridge.

The assailants on this occasion were not in uniform

and, as the Provincial Commissioner for Foreign

Affairs received the Consul-General's protest with every appearance of genuine concern, it was decided to accept the theory that the attack was the work of irresponsible persons, possibly remnants of the

"Peasants' Army" seeking to create an incident, or perhaps genuine peasants whose lands had suffered

from the wash of the steamer, though it is to be

noted that the vessel was not proceeding at any

great speed and that other (Chinese-owned) vessels steaming at the same time and speed were not molest-

ed. The Harbour Master of Hong Kong has been

instructed to notify all lines concerned to avoid

this channel while its waters remain at their

present high level on account of flood.

5.

As a result of the measures taken to

secure compliance with the British demands made

in the case of the s.s. "Lungshan the Commissioner

for 29

។