861.77/3155: Telegram
The Minister in China (Schurman) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 12—11:23 a.m.]
284. Department’s number 159, August 2, 3 p.m. On August 3 I made written representations to Foreign Office impossibility [sic] outlined in Department’s instruction referred to above. French Minister also protested.
It appeared that prompt and vigorous action by consular body in Harbin as well as representations made in Peking resulted in checking for time being steps instituted by Chinese authorities, but, as subsequent reports from Harbin indicated continued activity on part of Chinese, further representations seemed advisable. I submitted therefore to my French, British, and Japanese colleagues a draft of a joint note to Ministry of Foreign Affairs which referred to the identic notes of October 31, 1922,84 regarding withdrawal of [Page 780] Technical Board and after outlining events connected with the attempted seizure of land, Department [Legation?] repeated the representation suggested in Department’s telegram of 159 of August 2, 3 p.m. This joint note was sent to Foreign Office yesterday,85 and consular officers in Mukden, on the suggestion of the consular body of Harbin, are being instructed to make friendly representation on matter to Chang Tso-lin with a view to bringing about an amicable settlement.
As prompt action was essential and as Italian, Belgian and Portuguese Ministers were out of town, it was decided that note signed by four Ministers would cover the situation.86
- See telegram no. 253, Oct. 27, 1922, to the Minister in China, ibid., p. 925.↩
- Not printed.↩
- In despatch no. 1756, Aug. 23 (file no. 861.77/3199) the Minister in China advised the Secretary of State that his Italian colleague had informed the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs that he joined in the representations of Aug. 11 by the American, French, British, and Japanese representatives.↩