893.00 Nanking/59: Telegram
The Minister in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State
Peking, April 11,
1927—2 a.m.
[Received April 11—12:15 a.m.]
[Received April 11—12:15 a.m.]
399. My telegram number 392, April 9, 3 p.m.
- 1.
- The following telegram has been received from consul general at
Hankow:
“11. April 10, 1 p.m. Ch’en persistently refuses to receive myself and four colleagues for joint presentation of identic note and we have accordingly arranged to go separately at half-hour intervals beginning at 11 o’clock tomorrow morning unless otherwise instructed.”
- 2.
- In the light of Ch’en’s previous attitude and of recent
indications that he is openly offering the Japanese inducements to
hold aloof from association with the other powers interested in the
Nanking affair, the diplomatic representatives concerned have
tonight urgently instructed their consuls at Hankow as follows:
“9. April 10, midnight. Your telegram No. 11, April 10, 1 p.m.
- (1)
- In view of Ch’en’s refusal to receive simultaneously all five consuls, the five interested Ministers have agreed that the demands shall be presented in the form of a collective note signed by five consuls, the said note to be presented on behalf of all of them by the senior of the five interested consuls at the hour appointed for his reception.
- (2)
- Covering note should be recited as follows: ‘Under the instructions of [the] American, British, French, Italian and Japanese Governments, the undersigned are directed by the diplomatic representatives of their several countries in China to present to you the following terms (as in original text) for the prompt settlement of the situation created by the outrages against their nationals committed,’ et cetera.
- (3)
- Then follows the remainder of the note as at present drafted with the five signatures at the end.”
- 3.
- Shanghai consuls are being instructed to present to General Pei identic note communicating the text of the revised collective note to Ch’en.
- 4.
- Please note these changes for the purpose of press hand-out.
- 5.
- Like my Italian and Japanese colleagues, … I have technically varied from my instructions in order to meet an urgent situation with regard to which it was quite impossible to consult with you in time.
MacMurray