893.00/9020: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in China (MacMurray)
243. Please transmit to Admiral Williams the following message and request him to communicate his reply through you.
“Referring to your telegram to American Minister, No. 0029–2000. Please explain what you mean by British plan to determine conditions for possible evacuation, which I do not understand.
From American Minister’s telegram to Department, No. 601, May 31, 6 p.m., I judge that British have altered their plan regarding removal of their Legation from Peking. As advised by you in your [Page 128] No. 0002–2345 to Navy Department and in your No. 0007–2305 to MacMurray in April, the Government of the United States is still of the opinion that its Legation should be removed from Peking if there should be serious threat to its safety and would desire the Legation removed early enough to avoid any accident either through being caught in Peking or through attack en route. In your 0029–2000 I note also a statement that you are not in favor of sending to Peking more marines than are now there and that unless you are ordered to send more you have no intention of doing so. The Department desires to have your opinions on whether the military situation is that this Government should remove its Legation immediately and whether the Legation should be removed to Tientsin or to Shanghai. This Government is anxious to avoid having the Legation Guard come into conflict with either the invading or the retreating forces.”