Directory_and_Chronicle_1933 — Page 1000

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CANTON

and held it for three days, but were then driven out by the Government troops. The city for a short period was given over to wholesale looting, over 5,000 lives were lost and millions of dollars worth of property destroyed. Fires were purposely started by the Reds in more than ten places and blocks and blocks of buildings were razed to the ground.

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.... 1928..

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During 1928 Canton itself was comparatively peaceful, but general un- certainty prevailed owing to the compaign up country between Chang Fat- fui's Ironsides", and a coalition of the 8th and 11th Armies under Li Tsai- hsin and Chen Ming-shu, respectively. The latter prevailed and set up a joint Government in Canton. An era of progress then started. The "strike pickets" were dissolved, all trade unions with Communist affiliations were proscribed, the students were forbidden to take part in politics and "Reds" were vigorously hunted down and executed. Big improvements were undertaken in the city, new maloos being built and slum areas cleared, the installation of a new waterworks and piping system was started, by contracts being let out to English and German firms. A bridge between Honam and the mainland was planned and also a number of Government Offices. Most of these projects. have been persistently furthered despite the troubles of 1929. Of equal im- portance was the stern deflation policy, under which millions of notes col- lected in taxes were withdrawn from circulation. In March 1928, the quarrel. with Hongkong was finally ended by an exchange of formal and very cordial visits between Marshal Li Tsai-hsin, and Sir Cecil Clementi, Governor of Hongkong.

1929.

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Early in 1929 Marshal Li Tsai hsin went to Nanking to attend the Dis bandment Conference and to act as mediator between Nanking and his col- league, Li Tsung-jen, military Governor of Hankow, who had recently effected a coup d'etat in the latter city Marshal Li was detained by President Chiang Kai-shek, on a charge of complicity in the revolt of the Kwangsi militarists. Li Tsai-hsin's colleagues in Canton sent an ultimatum to Nanking, but on the return of Chen Ming-shu from Nanking, the Kwangsi party was ejected from Canton and allegiance, proclaimed to the, Central Government. An invasion from Kwangsi was defeated on the very outskirts of Canton by the clever strategy of Chan Tsai-tong, the Kwangtung commander-in-chief. A second attempt to take Canton by an alliance between the Kwangsi militarists and Chang Fat-fui's Ironsides was also beaten off after severe fighting round Samshui, along the North River, and just north of Canton. Chan Tsai-tong- received strong reinforcements of Nanking troops and his gun-boat flotilla played a big part in the riverine battles. Still more important was the as- sistance of twenty aeroplanes, who bombed the. "Ironsides" unmercifully, and broke their morale. A counter attack by Canton resulted in the taking of Wuchow, but the remnants of Kwangsi-Ironside troops entrenched themselves at Nanning and resisted all attempts to dig them out.

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The year 1929 was a very bad one, for in addition to the constant warfare a severe drought, and great heat lasting well into June, gravely effected the crops. There was great distress in the East River districts and all the mer- chants suffered heavily, though an improvement set in towards the end of the

year.

1930

As already stated the year 1930 passed off uneventfully which enabled a good deal of progress to be made in municipal services. The number of muni- cipal primary schools increased in the year from 75 to 85 accommodating 36,460 as opposed to 24,770 pupils. The number of middle-schools, in which the English language is taught, also greatly increased so as to provide instruc- tion for 3,000 students. Night schools, were developed and added to, the. total number being 70 at which 12,000 students attended. A free library at a cost of $200,000, and a poor-house were constructed during the year. A new water-tower purchased in Germany was also erected. New roads built in Can-