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Canton and criticised the Nanking party. General
Li Chai-sum did not attend this meeting.
4.
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On the same day the Anti-British Boycott
Society which had been issuing manifestoes, holding
meetings and passing resolutions for some time
suddenly appeared in the open and its uniformed
pickets proceeded to seize British goods consigned
to Chinese. The ostensible reason was the Doshing
incident but the real motive was doubtless partly
political and partly mercenary; political because
the renewal of the boycott at this juncture would
embarrass General Li Chai-sum; and mercenary because
the organizations which conduct this particular form
of brigandage found that some months of peace had
depleted their funds and they hoped that the authorities
would be unwilling to interfere while these were being
replenished. General Li Chai-sum is credibly supposed
to be unsympathetic and willing to suppress the boycott;
and this may be the reason why only isolated cases of
consfication have been recently reported. But the fact
that he was not able to suppress it at once tends to show that his position is not so strong as it appears.
Since the above was written I have received a
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telegram from lir. Brenan to the effect that the Canton
Authorities have notified him that the boycott will be
stopped today (10th November) and all seized goods
restored.
5.
At the moment all that can be said is that
both sides are playing for position. Wong Tsing-wai has been studiously moderate in his public utterances but it is difficult to reconcile his political ambitions
with his
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