CO129-502-7 China- general situation 4-3-1927 - 26-4-1927 — Page 107

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SECRET

CABINET 23 (27)

118

Conclusions of a Meeting of the Cabinet held in the Prime Minister's room, House of Commons, on Monday, 4th April,

on Monday, 4th April, 1927, at 4.30. p.m.

CHINA

(Previous

Reference: Cabinet 22 (27)

The Cabinet had before them a Report by the

Chiefs of Staff Committee (Paper C.P.115 (27)) on the

present situation in China and the question of the

sanctions behind an ultimatum to the Cantonese

Government for the outrages at Nanking. An amended coy

of Sir Miles Lampson's telegram No.605, dated April

2nd, was handed round during the meeting.

The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs gave

the Cabinet a review of the present position and read

to the Cabinet draft telegrems which he proposed to

send to Peking and to Tokyo, Washington, Paris and

Rome, in regard to the proposed ultimatum to the

Cantonese Government in connection with the outrages

at Nanking.

The Chiefs of Staff, who were present, answered

a number of questions put to them. In the course of

his replies the Chief of the Naval Staff laid great

stress on the importance of the time limit and the

ill-