CO129-502-8 China- general situation 27-4-1927 - 15-9-1927 — Page 202

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The Chief of the Naval Staff read telegrams he had

exchanged with the Naval Commander-in-Chief regarding the

difficulties of maintaining communications during the period

of low river (Appendix). He recalled to the Cabinet the

advice given by the Chiefs of Staff Sub-Committee in their

Second Report on Sanctions (Paper C.P.128(27)) in favour of

greater authority being given to the naval forces, not

merely to reply to fire from the banks, but to counter-

attack with all their power anyone firing on ships flying

the British flag on the Yangtse. This plan, Lord Beatty

pointed out, might be extended to appropriate action at

ports where British lives or property were assailed by the

Nationalist forces. In this connection he quoted the

following passage from Sir Miles Lampson's telegram No.805

of April 30th:-

"Of course if His Majesty's Goverment deliberately

decide to adopt a new policy and are henceforth

prepared in serious earnest wherever practically

possible in future to defend by force and at once any

attack on Eritish lives and property, matters at once

assume a new aspect. But in that case it should be dealt

with on that basis and not as a reprisal for Nanking.

I should welcome such a modification of policy which

(two groups undecipherable) is overdue and should see

with a sigh of relief such encroachments as are taking

place