893.00/7169: Telegram
The Minister in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State
[Received 10:30 p.m.]
120. My number 119, March 9, 9 p.m., third paragraph.
1. In pursuance of discussion taken at this morning’s meeting Senior Minister is today addressing to the Minister for Foreign Affairs following note:
“On behalf of my colleagues and myself, the diplomatic representatives of the protocol powers, I have the honor to bring to Your [Page 597] Excellency’s most earnest attention that, according to the statements of the local Chinese authorities at Tientsin, a series of 10 electrically controlled mines has been placed in the Taku Channel near Spit Point buoy where the channel is only some 500 feet wide and that the pilots have been notified that shipping will not be allowed in or out. The port of Tientsin is thus completely closed to the sea. It further appears that the Tsingtau naval expedition and the Kuominchun forces stationed on the site of the south Taku Forts continue an artillery duel which of itself prevents the safe navigation of the Taku Channel, while hostilities between the [Kuominchun] and the Fengtien forces have cut the railways between Tientsin and Chinwangtao.
In the circumstances, communication between Peking and the sea is entirely interrupted, in violation of the provisions of the protocol of 1901. The diplomatic representatives aforementioned protest most urgently against this state of affairs and demand that the Government of China bring about the immediate cessation, by both of the mutually hostile factions of the armed forces of China, of these acts of obstruction to open communication to the sea through the Taku Channel, reserving to themselves to collaborate for the protection of foreign shipping and for the maintenance of free access to the port of Tientsin, should the Chinese Government fail to take forthwith action to that end in fulfillment of the purposes of the protocol of 1901.”
The Senior Minister is also addressing, mutatis mutandis, to the Senior Consul at Tientsin with a view to representations to Kuominchun headquarters and at Mukden and Tsinanfu for communication to Fengtien [and?] Shantung headquarters the following instruction:
“Please communicate to Chinese military authority that diplomatic representatives have urgently protested against the closing of the port of Tientsin to the sea by the military action being carried on at Taku and have demanded the immediate cessation by both of the military hostile factions of the Chinese armed forces of these acts of obstruction, reserving to themselves to collaborate for the protection of foreign shipping and for the maintenance of free access to the port of Tientsin, should the Chinese Government fail to take forthwith action to that end in fulfillment of the purposes of the protocol of 1901.
You should add that an identical communication is being addressed to the headquarters of both contending parties and that the protective measures indicated above would be applied against either party without discrimination.”
2. Reported to commander in chief.