BRITAIN AND CANTON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19567, 21 February 1927, Page 11

BRITAIN AND CANTON.

SITUATION REVIEWED. | INSTRUCTIONS OF CABINET HANKOW AGREEMENT FIRST. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright A. and N.Z. LONDON, Feb. IS. The Cabinet has sent instructions to the British Minister at Peking, Sir Miles Lamp so ii, to be communicated to Mr. O'Malley, laying down the lines on which negotiations with Sir. Eugene Chen can be continued. I It is learned that the new instructions j are in the form of a recommendation that J he shall complete an agreement regarding the Hankow concession,.and a suggestion that Mr. Chen shall leave aside larger matters, such as Britain's recognition of the Cantonese Government, until subse- | qraent events show whether it is entitled < to such a status. The present official idea is to concentrate on an agreement about the small i and concrete problem of Hankow, in the S hope that this will lead to a settlement of ! the larger questions later. Sir Austen Chamberlain announced last ] , i i week his readiness to authorise the sign- | ing of an agreement. Therefore, it. is j hoped that as Air. Chen was also agree 1 - ; able to signing all obstacles will be j I eliminated. It is also hoped that if an I agreement is signed it may be' the' be- \ 1 ginning of a general settlement in ChinaOptimism About Shanghai Position, i Another special meeting of the Cabinet • j was held to-day to discuss China. Minis- j j ters will hold themselves m readiness to j | attend further meetings at the week-end. i Nevertheless, in official circles the suggestion is not countenanced' that these j frequent meetings indicate any alarm for British subjects in Shanghai because of the rapid development in the military situation. It is admitted that the advance of the Cantonese forces until Shanghai falls into their hands cannot esactly be welcomed, seeing that bitter anti- British sentimentthanks to Russian gold and propagandais stronger in the Cantonese than in any other Chinese circles. At the same time it is recognised that . it would neither accord with Mr. Chen's past conduct nor with his interest in not antagonising other foreign Powers to allow the anti-foreign sentiments to. get out of hand. Anti-British Outrages Cease. It is a remarkable fact that during the whole period since the evacuation of Hankow there has not been a single case of outrage, robbery or violence of any kind against a British subject anywhere in China. Hence, while there is satisfaction that British troops are nearing Shanghai in readiness for eventualities there is no suggestion that the present situation demands the despatch of further forces. Experience of Chinese civil wars in the past few years has shown that cities have often fallen and been recaptured without harm or even serious inconvenience to foreign residents. Fighting in China, is I quite unlike-that of the Great War. The battles are seldom serious or sanguinary encounters. One or other force generally crumples up alter a very hallhearted sort of an engagement. Powers Assembling Forces. For these reasons well-informed persons are not alarmed. They are convinced that Mr. Chen's forces will not be foolish enough to enter the international settlement at Shanghai, where the French, the Japanese and the Americans, witnout much publicity,, are assembling forces to assist in its defence alongside the British. I A report to the effect that Mr. O'Malley j had taken up his quarters on the warship j Bee at Hankow does not imply that dis- j turbances have occurred. This move was only made for the sate of comfort.