Recent Reported Movement of Troops to that Centre We have received the following from the office of the Commissioner of Foreign Affairs for Hupeh:—Tt was rumoured " few days ago that the British Government had Antended to land troops in Hankow. Upon' inquiry at the British Consulate-General, Dr. C. H. Kan, Commissioner of Foreign Affairs for Hupeh received a verbal denial of the fact from Consul-General Harold Porter. On November 29 a written reply was sent by Mr. Porter tg Dr, Kan to the following effect:
"Sir-—I was very pleased to have the opportunity of meeting jou yesterday and to be able to wwe you that the friendly sentiments expressed towards the Nationalist Government in China by H, M, Government remain unchanged.
"Naturally the various political and military movements and changes that have taken during the year that has. past since the publication of the Bri ish Memorandum have given rise to rumours from time to time, such rumours being usually spread by interested parties, The suggestions that it is, or has ever been the intention of the British Authorities to resume control of the former Britis Concession here, or to land troops for its occupation, are entirely unfounded.
"The presence of certain of H, M, ships both here and elsewhere is merely to give protec: tion where that is found to be needed owing to the pre-occupation of the Nationalist authorities with more immediately pressing affairs. Once the Nationalist Government is ina position to' afford that measure of protection to the stranger within her gates that is accorded as a matter of course by all countries to the subjects of other countries with whom they are on terms of amity, Government wil squish that duty and tthe protective forces, am happy to be able to wre you that the efficient in which the local authorities afforded protection to this district during the recent crisis highly appreciated, and will do much to dispel the feelings of nervousness and uncertainty that] were aroused in the foreign community at the time of the recent! hostilities between Nanking and "If the Nationalist Government and their military authorities Id see their way to keeping Special Administrative Districts free from troops, it, would do much to restore confidence and have a beneficial effect—upon trade generally, (Signed) Harold Porter."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.