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foreign diplomatic corps resides at Peking. This province is ruled by Marshal Chang Tso-lih, who
has recently assumed the title of Generalissimo.
His ally is General Chang Tsung-chang of Shantung,
but he is suspected of hoping secretly that the
course of events may eliminate this ally as it
has already eliminated his erstwhile allies
Marshals Wu Pei-fu and Sun Ch'uan-fang. The power of this Generalissimo is really based on Man-
churia and he is now endeavouring to conciliate the War Lord of Shansi and to patch up some sort of understanding with the War Lord of Nanking,
with whom it seems that he has just made an
armistice. He once cherished dreams of being
supreme in a reunified China and he hopes at
worst to remain supreme in Manchuria, if his
enemies drive him out of Chih-li.
3. I venture to think that this brief
description of the state of civil war, chaos and anarchy now existing in China will satisfy you that the moment is not opportune for treaty re- vision and further that His Majesty's Government would be very ill-advised under such circumstances to permit any change to be made in British treaty
rights by unilateral concession. It is, however, a matter of great importance to Hong Kong that friendly relations should be maintained with
whatever administration controls the West River
valley and particularly with the province of
Kuang-tung, itself as large as Italy. I, therefore, again invite your attention to my secret despatches
of the
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