CO129-500-3 Canton situation- governor's despatches 29-7-1927 - 1-9-1927 — Page 60

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nothing more to say.

I had a discussion with Comrades

Tseung Kai Shek, Wong Ching Wai and Hui Yu Wai, and concluded

that since the majority of the troops at Canton had spoken

in favour of the Merchant Volunteers, it would be desirable

to return them a small fraction of the arms on condition that

they should resume business immediately and obey the orders

of the Government. Otherwise should they continue their

opposition we could issue a full proclamation setting forth

their crimes; and when we had spread the knowledge of their

wickedness among all the troops and the people of Canton,

we could proceed forthwith to deal with the Corps. While we

were discussing plans for dealing with them, Borodin

appeared to be in a state of considerable state of considerable

excitement. While

he suggested that the Whampoa Military Academy should be removed to Shiu Kwan so as to keep it beyond the influence

of the Merchants' Corps, he also said, "You cannot use any

troops to disperse the Merchants' Corps, unless the Whampoa

cadets are sent to bear the brunt of the attack. All troops

are hoping for a rising of the Merchants' Corps, to seize the opportunity to make Kwongtung their own. The orders of Headquarters are no longer obeyed, and there is a state of serious chaos." It looked as though he wanted to offer up the Whampoa Cadets as a sacrifice and so gave vent to all this cowardly and blustering talk to shake the firm resolution of his colleagues. Fortunately we took no notice of him, and adhered to the decision I had come to with Com- rades Cheung and Wong. On the festival of the 10th October, on the occasion of a parade and demonstration, the Merchants Corps made their guilt manifest, and thus the troops and the people realized that the Corps was seditious. The Yurman and Kwongsai troops which before had been in touch with the Corps, were brought to their senses and attacked and crushed

the Merchant Volunteers in obedience to the orders of the

Government

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