CO129-502-6 China- general situation 7-1-1927 - 3-3-1927 — Page 42

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155 March 27 (30045%, 4*)

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DECYPHER TELEGRAM from the Governor of Hong Kong to the

Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Dated 2nd March.

(Received Colonial Office 4.45 p.m. 2nd March, 1927)

Addressed to the Secretary of State for the

Colonies repeated to Pekin No.18 and Canton.

Your telegram unnumbered February 26th Foreign Office telegram to Pekin 149 February 21st and Lampson's telegram to the Foreign Office No.358 February 28th.

Reasons why I consider coercive measures

1.

necessary are fully set out in my despatch Secret

The forecast therein has been proved by November 27th. subsequent events to be correct and such being the policy of the Bolsheviked South, conciliation is futile and vital British interests in Central and South China can only be protected by force. Delay in vindicating our position will only increase our difficulties and dangers. It is true that Southerners do not yet control Shanghai but they do control Hankow and Kiukiang, where they forcibly seized British concessions, as well as Canton Swatow Ichang and

Changsha where anti British demonstrations are incessant. Wherever they go under Russian advice anti-British manifestations at once begin. Our object in using force would be to compel the cessation of such manifestations in which Great Britain is constantly described as "the enemy'

and to insist that out Treaty rights shall not be torn from

us by mob violence with official connivance nor our trade

injured by political boycott, piracy, strike pickets, Bias Bay brigands, and the like instigated or watched with

complaisant satisfaction by Canton Soviet.

#1

2.

سا کیا والی جگہ ان کا سایا