861.77/1692: Telegram
The President of the Technical Board ( Stevens ) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 3—5:08 a.m.]
Japanese evacuation Trans-Baikal completed; all military trains evacuating. [Eighty-one] are now east of concession zone excepting those disbanded Harbin. There are 25 Japanese soldiers Chita, 15 Manchuria, 5 [Hailar?] and about 1,000 Harbin in barracks and 800 on the Chinese Eastern east of Harbin. There are about 600 Japanese railwaymen Harbin in cars many wearing insignia of South Manchurian and Imperial Government Railways; they have been here a week, purpose and destination not yet known. Approximate number of troops evacuated 10,000. Apparently reliable estimates of the number in Trans-Baikal have never fallen below 15,000; these were wrong or they left some behind which I am trying to find out. Only 3,000 have sailed from Vladivostok; large numbers are now going to Habarovsk where the Japanese are fortifying, (and?) preparing winter quarters large force.