893.841 Surtax/29: Telegram

The Chargé in China (Mayer) to the Secretary of State

811. Department’s 314, August 11, 6 p.m. My 806, August 14, 3 p.m.

1.
Following from American consul at Shanghai:
  • “[(1)] Dollar4 requests consular clearance on the 18th of President McKinley as was done for President Grant, Taft. The Shipping Board requests clearance West Ison, 17th, and steamship Liberator, 19th. Have I authority to clear these by consular clearance provided Customs decline to issue clearance upon tender of legal tonnage dues only? Am I to understand that your August 13, noon,5 precludes consular clearance in all cases? In view of the fact that Dollars have received instructions to clear it does not seem that your instructions are intended to preclude consular clearance.
  • (2) If the Department has in mind the first sentence of the last paragraph of my July 27, 3 p.m.,6 I desire to explain that I am doubtful of the practicability of clearing coasting vessels (including vessels calling at other Chinese ports) in the manner suggested in my July 7, 9 p.m.,7 but I have no doubt as to its being practical for ocean-going vessels, though of course there is a small risk, which the owners must take if the Government does not.
  • (3) An early instruction is earnestly solicited.”
2.
I respectfully request that the Department’s definite instructions in this regard be sent directly to American consul at Shanghai, in view of urgency, and repeated to the Legation.
Mayer
  1. Robert Dollar, of the Robert Dollar Co.
  2. Not printed; it repeated the Department’s instructions as given in telegram No. 314, Aug. 11, to the Minister in China, p. 449.
  3. See telegram No. 767, July 28, from the Minister in China, p. 440.
  4. See telegram No. 705, July 8, 3 p.m., from the Minister in China, p. 434.