CO129-502-7 China- general situation 4-3-1927 - 26-4-1927 — Page 104

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CHINA.

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Reference: Cabinet 21 (27), Con- clusion 3.)

EXTRACT FROM CONCLUSIONS OF A MEETING OF THE CABINET HELD ON

Friday, April 1st, 1927.

The Cabinet had before them a Memorandum by

the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Paper C.P.-111 (27) )

and a preliminary Report by the Committee of Chiefs

of Staff (Paper C.P.-113 (27)) (Appendix) on Aamiral Sir

Reginald Tyrwhitt's comments on the proposals in the

previcus Report of the Chiefs of Staff (Paper C.P.-110

(27)). On the major question, however, of reprisals

for the Nanking outrages, the Chiefs of Staff had

reserved their opinion pending the receipt of further

information from the Naval Commander-in-Chief.

The Chief of the Naval Staff and the Director

of Military Operations and Intelligence (representing

the Chief or the Imperial General Staff, who was absent

on duty) made certain statements in amplification of the

Report of the Committee of Chiefs of Staff. Among

other points, Lord Beatty informed the Cabinet that the

Admiralty had sent a telegram to the Naval Commander-in-

Chief enquiring as to the value of the Chinese arsenals at

Shanghai and Hankow to the Cantonese forces.

He gave

some particulars as regards the position and vulnerability

of these arsenals. Lord Beatty also informed the

Cabinet that at Nanking, where there are some guns

mounted to command the river, the Naval Commander-in-Chief

might be unable to interrupt the passage of troops, but

that at Hankow, where the defences are negligible, and at

other points on the river, it should be possible to

interrupt