CO129-500-2 Canton situation- governor's despatches 30-6-1927 - 8-11-1927 — Page 78

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78

Enclo. No. 2e

30016/7

aloof, disapproving of the pressure proposed to be

applied to the Contractor, who happens to be an

assistant compradore of the firm of Messrs. Butter-

field and Swire. But for reasons given below the

China Navigation Company is not actively interested

at the moment.

I attach a cutting from the South China

Morning Post of yesterday's date relating how the

Seamen's Union at Canton on the 26th July defied

the Cantonese military authorities by preventing

the unloading of military supplies from the s.s.

"Kinshan" a vessel of the Steamboat Company, and

arresting a number of coolies employed by the Canton

army. If the facts are as reported, this is a

further indication of the inability of the Canton

Government to cope with the situation, which its

own supineness has allowed to come into being.

7.

Another proof of the ineptitude of the

Canton Government is furnished by its inability to

police the Bias Bay area in such a manner as to prevent pirates from using it as a base. The piracy of the Norwegian s.s. "Solviken" on the 20th July

by the Bias Bay gang, which forms the subject of a separate despatch, is additional evidence of the weakness and vacillation of the present Canton régime.

The strike of the officers of the China

Navigation Company's fleet continues and the Company

has given formal notice of dismissal to those con-

cerned. I am, however, informed that a certain

number of officers have broken away from their Union

and accepted the Company's terms, while other staff

8.

may be