CO129-500-4 Canton situation- governor's despatches 15-9-1927 - 24-11-1927 — Page 54

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the regulars were killed; 30 others being captured and disarmed. The next day, 30th, 12 of the captured regu- lars were released and allowed to take passage on the

S/L "Tai Pang" to Taipo, where they were rounded up and

searched by the Police before being sent on to Shaw Chun

by train. None of them had any firearms or other weapons.

After their "victory" at Tip Fuk the rebels

advanced on Sha U Chung where they hoisted a flag with the Chinese characters "Yuet Kwan, 1st, 2nd & 3rd Troops",

took possession of the Salt Tax Collectors Matshed

and arrested the Chief Salt Tax Collector, Tang Yuk Nam.

So far as can be learned no extensive looting took place

at either Tip Fuk or Sha U Chung, although some of the

shops were mulcted rather heavily in "fines". However,

as remarked elsewhere, the success of the rebels was

short-lived. General Wu, having been apprised of events,

despatched from Wai Chau a strong force of troops which,

by a series of forced marches, reached Tai Pang City at

08.00 hours on the 31st. From Tai Pang the troops, in three detachments, converged by separate routes upon

Sha U Chung where they arrived after nightfall, only to

find that the rebels had been warned of their approach

and had scattered, the main body taking to the hills

while the leaders made their escape by boat. In the

early morning of the 1st inst. Wong Fuk Chi and others

landed from a small boat at Taipo, proceeding from there

by train to Yaumati. Latest information from the Mirs Bay hinterland is that detachments of General Wu's troops

are searching the hills to the north and west of Sha

Ở Chung.

It is difficult to understand the reasons that

prompted Wong Fuk Chi and others to undertake this wild-

cat