CO129-502-6 China- general situation 7-1-1927 - 3-3-1927 — Page 177

24 days.

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(k) That the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs should instruct

Mr.O'Malley to send all the information he could gather as to

any movement of the Cantonese forces towards Shanghai.

Canton Defence of Shameen

(1) That the above decisons in regard to our general policy and the

defence of Shanghai involved a change in the political assump-

tions on which the Chiefs of Staff Committee had been ordered

to make their recent report on the defence of Shameen, and that

the Committee of Chiefs of Staff should re-assemble on the

following day to re-examine the question of the defence of

Shameen on the assumption that Shanghai was to be held and that

His Majesty's Government were no longer committed to the policy

of avoiding hostilities with the military forces at Canton in

all circumstances. The Chiefs of Staff were asked to make recom

mendations for revised instructions to the British Consul-General

at Canton, and the Naval and Militery authorities at Hong Kong.

Miscellaneous__

(m) That the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Colonies should

arrange for officials of the Dominions Department to place

themselves in communication with the Permanent Under-Secretary

of State, Foreign Office, with a view to supplying to the

Dominion Governments full information of the policy of His

Majesty's Government and of the reasons for it, alike as regards

their endeavour to secure a peaceful settlement on liberal

terms and their decision not to be hustled or driven out of

Shanghai.

(n) That the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs should make

arrangements, through the Press, to prepare public opinion

for the measures indicated in these Conclusions. While making

clear that there could be no surrender to violence and that

the military dispositions had the object of carrying out the

Government's pledge to defend the lives of British subjects in

China, emphasis should be laid on the fact that the Government's policy was primarily one of conciliation and a settlement by

agreement.