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(2) That the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
should telegraph instructions, based on the conclusions
of the Report, to the Acting Consul-General, Canton,
which should be repeated to the Governor of Hong Kong.
That the Secretary of State for War should
authorise the Chief of the Imperial General Staff to
send a supplementary telegram to the General Officer
Commanding at Hong Kong, based on the reference in the
last part of para. 7 of the Report to the fact that
we cannot expect to hold out indefinitely against
serious attack by the Cantonese troops:
(a) That the Secretary of State for the Colonies
should notify the Governor of Hong Kong that the
instructions to Cant on would be repeated and to
communicate their contents to the naval and military
authorities.
USE OF TEAR
GAS.
(b)
5.
Referring to the recommendation of the Chiefs of
Staff Committee in favour of nuthority being given for the
use of gas in China, subject to definite instructions as to
the circumstances in which it is to be employed (C.I.D.
Paper No.761-B.pare.10), the Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs said he was advised that, from a legal point of
view, the use of Tear Gas as a weapon of war was contrary to
Treaty engagements. Technically it might be argued that
its use against an armed mob did not constitute an
infringement of Treaties and that the Government of Canton
vas not a signatory of the Treaties. Were ve to use Tear
Gas me should not escape criticism, and the fact of our
doing so would be used as propaganda against us.
The Secretary of State for War stated that in any
event we should be compelled to send out a gas unit, as the
Cantonese forces might use it against us.
The
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