CO129-500-3 Canton situation- governor's despatches 29-7-1927 - 1-9-1927 — Page 58

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which we supported but he opposed, met with complete success

and there have not been a few instances where we have been

entrapped by his advice which we took through carelessness.

Facts in the past have proved this so far, and no one whether

he be of our party or no, no one I repeat even if he be

Borodin's own man, can deny it.

Let me quote you a few important instances. Our

Whampoa Military Academy was established during the regime

of our late President as Generalissimo in Kwong Tung. After

3 months' work, we instituted two classes of students, when

the most difficult problem of the Merchants' Corps arose.

The latter wanted to overthrow our Government and welcome the

return of Chan Kwing Ming. After contracting an alliance

with the major portion of the Yunnan and Kwongsai troops,

the Canton Merchants' Corps which was before powerless, actually convened a Grand Conference of all Merchants in

the Province, and established a General Chamber of Commerce.

At the same time, Chan Lim Pak, a tame dog of the Imperialis

offered his services to buy arms on their behalf.

Unexpectedly the first shipment was discovered and seized

by Tseung Kai Shek. Being filled with fear, they sent the

Yunnan and Kwongsai troops with whom they had allied, to

demand its return from the Government; this could not of

course be approved at that time, and the Merchants' Corps

proceeded to spread rumours that Government wanted to use

the peasants and workmen's Self-defence Corps to put Commun

ism into practice and that was why the merchants could not

get arms to defend themselves. In fact the Peasants and

Workmen's Corps were at that time an unarmed mob. But some

of its members were Communists and had made every undeavour

to mislead the people everywhere, and this gave the

Merchants' Corps an opportunity to make the above charge,

which