CO129-504-13 Chinese situation- request from General Li Chai-sum for assistance in obtaining arms and ammunition 27-4-1927 - 6-10-1927 — Page 55

This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government. 7

Printed for the Cabinet. May 1927.

56

SECRET.

C.P. 157 (27).

Copy No.

39

ARMS EMBARGO AND SUPPLY OF ARMS TO CANTON.

THE following letter from the Colonial Office should be read in connection with Cabinet Paper 156 (27) of May 16, 1927.

Foreign Office, May 18, 1927.

Colonial Office to Foreign Office.—(Received May 12.)

(Immediate and Secret.) Sir,

Downing Street, May 11, 1927.

I am directed by Mr. Secretary Amery to refer to the letter from this Department of the 4th May enclosing a copy of telegraphic correspondence with the Governor of Hong Kong regarding a request from General Li Chai-Sum, now in power at Canton, for assistance in obtaining arms and ammunition, and to transmit to you, to be laid before Secretary Sir Austen Chamberlain, the accompanying copy of a further telegram from Sir C. Clementi, dated the 6th May, reporting that similar overtures have been made to the Governor of Macao (Enclosure 1).

General Li Chai-Sum has already given evidence of his desire to establish peaceful conditions in Kwangtung, first by his recent action in suppressing Communist agitators in Canton, and, secondly, by the campaign which he is now conducting against subversive elements in the country districts. The result of the improved conditions now obtaining in Canton is shown in the enclosed telegram (Enclosure 2), dated the 4th May, in which the Governor of Hong Kong reports that trade with Canton is now more or less normal. In these circumstances it would be a serious misfortune to Hong Kong and to British trade in South China if General Li Chai-Sum were to be prevented by lack of munitions from maintaining his authority in the Province. Sir C. Clementi recommends, therefore, that, subject to a public declaration of his good intentions, he should be given the assistance for which he asks.

3. It now appears from Mr. Brenan's telegram No. 32 of the 6th May, a copy of which was enclosed in your letter of the 9th May, that there is small prospect of obtaining from Li Chai-Sum a declaration in the sense recommended by the Governor. Mr. Brenan considers, however, that the General should none the less be given facilities to purchase arms and ammunition in Hong Kong or through Hong Kong agents, and he enquires whether he may give an assurance to a German agent who has approached him that arms destined for Li Chai-Sum will not be seized at British ports. A copy of a further telegram from Sir C. Clementi reporting the receipt of an application from the agent is enclosed (Enclosure 3).

4. With regard to this application Mr. Amery is of opinion first that no assurance is necessary since it is well known that arms and ammunition consigned to Chinese destinations are safe from interference if carried on vessels which do not touch at British ports, that there is no difficulty in chartering vessels to carry such consignments by a route which complies with this condition, and that the insurance of the consignments can be effected on the continent. The German agent can therefore, if he wishes to do so, arrange without difficulty for the supply of arms for Li Chai-Sum without an assurance from the Hong Kong Government, and the request for such an assurance doubtless arises from

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