CO129-571-9 Sino-Japanese War- Canton-Kowloon railway 25-3-1938 - 28-2-1939 — Page 50

Confidenting

December 24th, 1938.

49

My dear Blunt,

Many thanks for your letter of the 21st

December about the Canton-Kowloon Railway. I have always

had in mind that, if and when the Japanese obtained

possession of Canton and control over Southern Kwangtung,

it would not be reasonable for this Government to refuse

to participate in a through train-service to Canton, although

we would discourage the carriage of munitions of war thereby:

in this connection see the Secretary of State for the Colonies'

(34) telegram No. 212 to me, reported to you as my No. 38. That

situation has more or less materialised now, although Japanese

control along the railway line is not very complete, of course.

Apart from questions of this Colony's

trade, refugee exodus etc., there are the interests of the

bond-holders to be considered. I do not see why they should

be sacrificed to the Chinese inability or refusal to defend

their own country. For several reasons, therefore, it appears

to me very desirable that the sooner the railway is restored

and runs the better. I should, therefore, like you to add this

to the list of questions which you put occasionally to Okazaki:

I would not go so far as to say to 'press' on him, Personally,

I do not now anticipate trouble at this port on account of a

restoration of the railway service to Canton, except perhaps,

if munitions of war were being moved. After all this port

is still serving regularly several Japanese steamer line s.

A. P. Blunt, Esq., C.M.G.,

His Britannic Majesty's Consul General,

CANTON.

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