893.00/7189: Telegram
The Minister in China ( MacMurray ) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 16—2:55 p.m.]
134. My 130, March 15, 5 p.m.
1. Following is substance of message dated March 15, 12:30 a.m., from United States ship Asheville at Tientsiitem:
“Naval commanders of American, British, French, Italian and Japanese war vessels at Tientsin decided night of March 15th as follows:
Notification to be delivered to senior officer present of the Tsingtau flotilla at 4 o’clock Tuesday, March 16, 1926, by the captain of H. M. S. Carlisle; notification to be delivered to military authorities at Taku Fort at same time by commanders of French cruiser and Italian man-of-war, period for compliance to expire at noon Thursday, March 18th. Ministers also informed that if the commanding officer of Taku Fort fails to comply with terms of notification being sent, it is possible that use of foreign garrisons from Tientsin will be necessary to ensure compliance.”
2. The subject matter of the last sentence was considered at a meeting this morning of the Ministers concerned who have sent the following communication to their respective naval commanders at Tientsin:
“The five Ministers have duly considered the message from their five naval commandants conveying their opinion that, if the commander of the Kuominchun forts at Taku fails to comply with the terms of the notification, it is possible that the use of the foreign garrison at Tientsin will be necessary to ensure compliance.
The Ministers in reply wish to state that they did not contemplate either the use of the foreign garrison at Tientsin or the employment of naval landing forces to ensure compliance with the five demands embodied in their notification.
The five Ministers, who are hopeful that the exclusion of the Tsingtau flotilla from entering the channel will make easy the compliance of the Kuominchun with the demands made upon them, consider it highly undesirable to make use of land forces and would not be prepared to seek from their Governments, except as a last resort, the necessary authorization to that end.”
3. The statement in paragraph 2 of my 123, March 12, 7 p.m., beginning at the subquote as follows: “On March 10th” through the subquote, omitting last paragraph commencing “the five Ministers above mentioned nevertheless consider, etc.,” is being communicated to the Chinese Government by the Senior Minister this afternoon and simultaneously given to the press in accordance with paragraph 2 of my 130, March 15, 5 p.m.
[Page 602]4. Insert “Bar” after Taku in fourth demand in statement aforementioned.