CO129-502-7 China- general situation 4-3-1927 - 26-4-1927 — Page 46

Bri

This Document is the Property of Fip Bulte

Matesty's Government.)

SECRET -

C.O.S30.

(Also C.I.D.

COPY NO

4.

Paper No.792-B).

COMMITTEE OF IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

CHIEFS OF STAFF SUB-COMMITTEE.

THE SITUATION IN CHINA APRIL 14 1927.

POSSIBLE SANCTIONS.

Interim Report by the Chiefs of Staff

49

At a Meeting of the Cabinet held on April 13th, the

Chief of the Naval Staff made a statement in regard

to the effectiveness of the sanctions we had hitherto

proposed. He recalled that at the Meeting of the

House of Commons on April 4th (Cabinet 23 (27), Conclu

sion 1), he, on behalf of the Committee of Chiefs of

Staff, had warned the Cabinet in regard to the adverse

effect on sanctions of any serious delay. The situation

had now changed considerably, and this statement required

qualification. In view of the successes of the Northern

Chinese, the period of ten days he had then mentioned

could perhaps be considerably extended, but it had to be bome in mind that if the Northern forces gained

possession of the places where sanctions were to have

been inflicted, these particular sanctions would no

longer be applicable. Moreover, to take the proposed sanctions at the present moment against such objects as forts or arsenals which were likely in the near future

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