Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1926, Volume I

893.00/7177: Telegram

The Minister in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State

Peking, March 13, 1926—9 p.m.
[Received March 13—4:30 p.m.]

127. My number 125, March 13, 4 p.m.

1. Yesterday afternoon despite arrangements which had been made between Japanese consulate general at Tientsin and the military authorities at Taku for the entry of two Japanese destroyers, the latter were fired upon while passing the fort and returned the fire thereafter, retiring outside the bar. Four Japanese were wounded of whom three were officers including commander of destroyer flotilla of four vessels which had arrived off Taku Bar from Port Arthur.

2. A secretary of the Foreign Office who called upon me this morning to convey General Lu Chung-lin’s appreciation of impartial attitude of the American and British authorities in the present Taku situation stated that General Lu had described the incident as a Chinese sentry having fired blank cartridges at the Japanese leading destroyer since she was not complying with the arrangements made as to hour of passage through the channel and that the Japanese had thus fired upon the fort without sufficient provocation. There seems no doubt of the fact that the Chinese military at Taku knew that the vessels were Japanese destroyers passing through according to arrangement since the incident occurred at 3:40 p.m. The vessels were flying squadron identified by [identification?] flags and were preceded by a steam launch with a Chinese officer from the port on board who had landed from the boat sufficiently in advance of firing by Chinese for a preliminary report to the authorities.

3. On the evening of the same day, March 12th, the Foreign Office protested orally to the Japanese Minister, expressing the hope that such an incident would not be repeated. This afternoon, on receipt of full advices, Japanese Minister called on Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, who is in charge of the Foreign Office, and protested in turn against the action of the Chinese military at Taku, reserving possible later proposals to Chinese Government in respect to settlement of the incident and demanding that Chinese Government meanwhile instruct local Chinese military authorities to take immediate definite and most effective steps to avoid repetition of such regrettable occurrences.

4. I understand that arrangements are being made locally at Tientsin for a Japanese destroyer to proceed there today.

5. Copy mailed to Tokyo.

MacMurray