893.00/7181: Telegram
The Minister in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 15—11:20 a.m.]
130. My 123, March 12, 7 p.m., and 125, March 13, 4 p.m.
1. Proposed action has been further postponed by the failure of Japanese naval force at Tientsin to receive necessary authorization from home government. That having now been received, the folio wingidentic telegram is being sent by five Ministers concerned to respective naval commanderitem:
“The Japanese Government having agreed to the joint action by the foreign naval commandants at Tientsin, which formed the subject of the identic telegram addressed by the American, British, French, Italian and Japanese Ministers to their respective naval commanders on March 12th, the five Ministers request that their commanders at Tientsin will now arrange to deliver as soon as possible the notification to the Chinese military authorities in command of the forts at Taku and the naval officer in command of the Tsitsihar [Tsingtao] flotilla in the terms prescribed in the aforesaid telegram.
The five Ministers suggest that the notification to the Chinese commander of the Tsitsihar [Tsingtao] flotilla could be delivered by the officer commanding H. M. S. Carlisle at about the same time as the foreign naval commanders in Tientsin arrange to deliver the notification to the Chinese military authorities at Taku.
The five Ministers desire to leave their naval commanders full discretion to choose the time for the delivery of the notification and suggest that an interval of from 36 to 48 hours should be given for compliance by Chinese on both sides. The five Ministers request that they may be kept informed of the decision reached in this matter.”
2. I shall telegraph date of proposed delivery of notification as soon as I am informed thereof, at which time it is proposed to communicate program simultaneously to the Chinese Government and to the press.