CO129-500-4 Canton situation- governor's despatches 15-9-1927 - 24-11-1927 — Page 178

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Easton

No145

COLONIAL

OFFICE

No.

NUMBER AND DATE SHOULD

BE QUOTED IN REFERENCE

TO THIS LETTER

SECRET

Copies to:

Peking No. 85

Canton No. 348

Enclosure ""

nol

17 NOV 1927

Anze Secret

Copy

do FOC

Sir,

}

3

176

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONG KONG,

30th September,

1927.

The Anti-British boycott has not materialized. As I anticipated in my Secret Despatch of the 15th September, it collapsed on the first touch of real force. This touch was, as you will be aware, supplied by Mr. Brenan who warned both the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and General Li Chai-sum himself that the British Government would meet any attempt to reinstitute the picket system, by prompt and forcible retaliation. The

not exact nature of the measures proposed was, of course, indicated; but having before them as object-lessons the reprisals for the piracies of the S.S. "Yatshing" and S.S. "Ko Chow", the Canton Authorities immediately issued to the so-called Boycott Comittee a sharp warning that picketing of British goods would not be permitted.

To A translation of this notification is enclosed. occidental' eyes this document may seem more monitory than minatory, but to its Chinese recipients it is the clearest possible order to leave British trade alone, and it was so interpreted.

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

LISUTENANT COLONEL L.C.M.S. AMERY, M.P.,

&c.,

&c.,

&C.

(1065)6

2.