CO129-512-2 Political situation in China- and Canton 31-5-1929 - 13-11-1929 — Page 72

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west and to the east, and the city itself would be

denuded of troops. Meanwhile, the Kwangsi leaders

had driven a money bargain with the Cantonese Navy,

comprising one light cruiser "Chung Shan", the

"Fei Ying", an antiquated gunboat of some eight

hundred tons, and about fifteen other small craft,

which were lying at anchor on the south side of

Honam Island, near Whampoa. It was stipulated that

at a given moment this fleet should mutiny and either

join in the attach upon Canton, or at least declare

its intention of remaining neutral. In addition

to this, about one thousand men were put on board a

ship at Swatow and sent to Whampoa, in order to co-

operate with the Cantonese Navy in seizing Canton for

the Kwangsi leaders.

3. This plan failed, because the time-table

went wrong.

The Cantonese Navy acted prematurely

on the 7th May, announcing its intention of remaining

neutral. For two days thereafter nothing happened,

but on the 9th May the Cantonese military leaders

made an attack upon the mutinous fleet by means of a number of aeroplanes, which dropped bombs round

about it, but seem to have done little or no damage. The Cantonese Navy, however, became alarmed and proceeded to the neighbourhood of Shameen, where its

ships anchored near the foreign men-of-war.

Terms,

upon which the fleet was to surrender, were then arranged between the Canton authorities and Shu Chung- lau, the leader of the mutineers, through the

mediation