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 88

64 2

DECYPHER TELEGRAM from the Governor of Hong Kong to the Secretary

of State for the Colonies.

(Dated 27th April 1927

(Received Colonial Office 9.20 a.m. 27th April, 1927.)

for

15074/26

Addressed to Secretary of State for the Colonies repeated to Peking No.33 and Canton. Arms embargo. Please see paragraphs 5 and 6 of my despatch secret 28th June 1926. Brenan informs me that General Lichai sum now dictator at Canton sent for Commander Fitzgerald Senior Naval Officer West River on 25th April and asked for assistance in obtaining rifle and other ammunition. Lichaisum said that Russian supply was cut off and he needed renewal of his stocks to deal with red counter attack. Brenan agreed with me that arms embargo has merely operated to help Chinese who rely on Russia and hamper their opponents. He considers that if

Communism is to be fought in China the Chinese themselves must do it and that we should be extremely foolish to handicap men who are trying to do it: also that if we

assist Lichaisum we shall have the same hold over him as the Russians had over his predecessors.

I have consulted Southorn Kemp and Hallifax. We consider that if Lichaisum will publicly declare his intention to suppress all anti-foreign and particularly anti-British manifestations in territory he controls and further that he will respect foreign treaty rights pending negotiation in proper form of revised treaties and also that he will suppress piracy and brigandage notably that emanating from Bias Bay then. we should relax arms embargo which has again been shown to work against our interests.

comm

impres

W?

A/M

omo. C.I.P.J

4 Nlay 27

h. I. 12 May, LF

CFF

If