[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government, and should be returned to the Foreign Office if not required for official use.]
144
48
Decypher.
FROM CHINA.
Sir M. Lampson. (Nanking);
20th April 1931.
D.
22nd April. 1931.
No. 114.
(Tour)
R. 22nd April. 1921.
Confidential.
French Minister still makes little progress in his negotiations. His government have turned down
his proposal to rendite Hankow concession I presume after consultation with Japan. His only achievement
so far is preparedness to sign Shanghai Mixed Court
agreement for two years on lines of our 1930.
2.
I told him our extraterritoriality position to date and reminded him of my original instructions. The time might well come when with those instructions in my possession I might rather than break altogether (?apparently) show readiness to accept less than all four reserved areas; and this in turn might involve
Canton, He evidently realised this and spoke of neces- sity of consultation between London and Paris: but I
rather deprecated starting lengthy confabulations at this stage and I warned him that events were likely to come (if they did come) with a rush and that I might have to use my discretion without consultation with
anyone.
3. Very Confidential. It is clear both from his
attitude and that of his chief expert adviser that
French Legation attach very little importance to Shameen, but that Paris is likely to take a very differ- ent view. I beg that this be on no account divulged.
Addressed to Foreign Office No. 114 of April 20th, repeated to Peking.
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