893.00/7659: Telegram
The Chargé in China (Mayer) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 20—2:50 p.m.]
418. My 416, September 19, noon. Following three telegrams from American consul general, Hankow:
“September 19, 3 p.m. American gunboat Pigeon was fired upon by rifle and machine-gun batteries at 11 o’clock this morning while passing Hanyang. Three enlisted men wounded but not seriously. Commander estimates that vessel was struck approximately 100 times. He promptly returned fire with machine gun. Vessel was attacked from both Hanyang and Wuchang sides, the latter perhaps from outside the wall.
[Page 634]I assume that you are keeping the Department informed fully concerning developments here. It would be helpful if the Legation or the Department could give me some indication of its policy towards the new regime and the unreasonable attitude which it has assumed toward foreign interests, or whether the handling of the situation in cooperation with the naval authorities as the changing conditions may arise is to be left to my discretion. There are possibilities of far-reaching consequences involved.”
“September 19, 3 p.m. I have received today the following letter dated September 18th from the Commissioner of Foreign Affairs:
‘It is urgent that the military operations at Wuchang and Hankow should be settled. I am now in receipt of an instruction from the commander in chief of the National Revolutionary Army directing me to circularize the gunboats of the various countries promptly to sail down river to a comparatively distant place and not to anchor in the river in the vicinity of the war zone at Wuhan in order to avoid danger and to prevent misunderstanding.
Aside from notifying other parties concerned thereof I beg to request that you in turn notify the various (American) gunboats to act accordingly.’
Obviously the American ships now here will not be withdrawn. I am disposed to make either no acknowledgment or a simple acknowledgment, adding that the request cannot be complied with in view of treaty right of American vessels to navigate the inland waters without let or hindrance. Have you any instructions?
Notice has also been received that hereafter, without the sanction of the headquarters of the commander in chief of the National Revolutionary Army, no huchao shall be issued to cover the export of money and foodstuffs, the purpose of the order being to conserve food and stabilize the money market which is now in a deplorable state.
Navy telegram dated last night states that Mei Chuen, American vessel, en route to Ichang with foreign refugees, mostly British; that very large demonstration took place yesterday both sides of the river and that foreign houses on hill looted; much anti-British and increasing antiforeign feeling; that American and British subjects safe.
Another aeroplane bombing attack on Wuchang yesterday afternoon. Planes dropped propaganda circulars on Wuchang and Hankow, offering big rewards for capture of Military Governor and Civil Governor, dead or alive, and $30 each to soldiers giving themselves up.”
“September 19, 5 p.m. There will be repeated to you by Admiral Williams a telegram from Admiral Hough, commenting on and giving a resume of a notice communicated to me by the Commissioner of Foreign Affairs, forbidding the navigation of the Yangtze from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. in the Hankow-Wuchang-Hanyang war zone and serving notice that all vessels will be fired upon by artillery if they fail to stop on signal for search at certain places designated during daylight hours.
While I object in principle to applying such restrictions to commercial vessels, the shipping companies concerned—as they have been doing at Chenglingki for some days—seem to prefer to have their vessels searched rather than to subject them to artillery fire or to have them convoyed and thereby perhaps draw fire from shore batteries. I therefore doubt the advisability of requesting or compelling [Page 635] commercial vessels to disregard the notice if they prefer, under the peculiar circumstances prevailing now along the river, to have their vessels stopped and searched.
With reference to naval vessels it seems to me that American prestige, to say nothing of the undoubted right of such vessels to navigate the Yangtze freely and without molestation, demands a complete disregard of the regulations. This of course will require for the safety of the officers and men and the vessels themselves the return of any fire directed against them.
Your instructions requested.”
Instructions from the Legation for the American consul general at Hankow as requested and comment to the Department on the state of affairs as set forth in the above telegrams, are now under consideration. I shall shortly telegraph to the Department my conclusions.