twelve leading members of the Canton gentry called at the Chiang-chun's yamen on the 18th with the object of ascertaining Lung Chih-kuang's attitude towards the present critical situation. Lung informed the deputation of his determination to fight to the bitter end against any opposition to the constituted government, adding that there can be no question of a declaration of independence by Kuangtung.
Lung has telegraphed to the Ministry of Finance, Peking, that he would appropriate, for the meantime, all such funds as have hitherto been allocated as Kuangtung's contribution to the Central Government for the purpose of enlisting 15,000 additional soldiers and, if necessary, he will also utilize the opium surtax for military purposes, A rumour circulating among Chinese in Hongkong says that the Canton troops incline towards independence.
The native press discusses
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.