CO129-501-8 General policy in China 30-11-1926 - 30-11-1926 — Page 109

- 3.

the Canton police force would patrol the Canton water- ways and prevent strike pickots from committing fur- ther outrages afloat (letter of 11th September, 1926);

and he disclaimed any intention on the part of the

Canton Government to support the strikers, to injuro

Hong Kong or to extend the anti-British boycott

(letter of 16th September, 1926). These assurances

induced Mr. Brenan to suspend any further action by

our navy at Canton and to resumo conversations with

Comrade Ch'on as to ways and means of ending the boy-

cott. From this point onwards everything has gone

wrong.

3. At an interview on the 17th September

Comrado Ch'on told Mr. Brenan that arrangements had

been made to ond the boycott on or before the 10th

October, and to lovy certain taxes instead, explain-

ing that these taxes were to raise the funds necessary

for liquidating the boycott organization, which it

would take a few weeks to accomplish, and that they

would be levied on goods of all nationalities with no

discrimination against the British.

Comrado Ch'on at

this interview further said that the British authori-

ties would not be asked for a formal agreement or for

assistance with the Chinose Maritime Customs, but

would only bo asked not to raise objection (Canton telegram to Foreign Offico, dated 18th September).

On

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