CO129-516-5 Policy of Hong Kong government on the purchase and supply of opium 25-2-1929 - 10-5-1929 — Page 38

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end, when (if ever) the effective co-operation of the

Chinese authorities has been secured.

If

I am afraid that, as I write, the political outlook

in China is very gloomy. Civil war has broken out again in

Shantung and will, I fear, spread very soon to the Yangtse. It

is also hard to believe that Japan will refrain very much

longer from drastic action against the Nanking Government.

she makes a demonstration at Nanking, the Nationalist

Government will immediately disappear, and we shall again have

chaos in China. My only hope then would be that my little

friend, Li Chai-sum, may remain in the Liang Kuang provinces.

and keep South China out of the civil war. If he does this, we might not fare too badly in Hong Kong after all; but, if

Kwangtung is again drawn into civil war, all the pirates,

briganda and Communists will very quickly emerge from their

lurking places, and we shall again be in a sea of trouble.

Yours very sincerely

3d. C.Clementi.

P.3. The Secretariat has not been able to copy my despatch

about opium in time to catch today's mail. It will follow by

next mail.

The Right Honourable Lieut. Colonel L. Ch. S. Amery, M.P.,

&c.,

&c.,

&c.