Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1927, Volume II

893.00/8820: Telegram

The Minister in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State

[Paraphrase]

Peking, April 30, 1927—4 p.m.
[Received April 30—10:02 a.m.]

507. Your No. 190, April 27.

1. I have had a conversation with British Minister concerning the matter Berger reported to you in his April 3 [26?], 5 p.m. The conversations at Tientsin recently between Chinese and British delegates in regard to readjusting status of British Concession at Tientsin have had a purely preliminary character. Their object was to prepare joint recommendations for the higher authorities to consider. The British delegates assumed, apparently out of regard for what they believed was a commitment made at the time in 1902 when the area known as the American Concession was included within the British Municipal Extension (see enclosure No. 71, Legation’s despatch 522, April 5, 1922),⁹⁷ that if a suitable American citizen willing to serve could be found, the member of the Municipal Council ought to be an American.

2. It was suggested to me by the British Minister that, if this arrangement was unacceptable to my Government, I should secure the elimination of the provision respecting an American councilor. I explained to him that we did not claim any concession in Tientsin and that our preference was to stand aloof from having any connection with the question relating to British Concession [garbled group]. My assumption is that this matter may be considered definitely disposed of.

MacMurray

97. Not printed. The “American Concession” at Tientsin dated from 1869. On June 27, 1896, the United States abandoned all claim to jurisdiction over the area concerned, lying between the British and the later German Concession at Tientsin. Nevertheless a British proposal that this area be incorporated into the jurisdiction of the British Municipal Extension at Tientsin was the object of some discussion in 1901 and 1902 between German, British, and American diplomatic representatives in Peking and consular officials at Tientsin. On March 26, 1902, the American Minister in China agreed to the proposal on the following conditions:

    • “First. The right of military occupation at any time by the United States forces;
    • Second. Prior right at all times to moor United States vessels along the water-front;
    • Third. The right of the United States Government to assume control of the tract after giving twelve months notice of such desire; in which case any outlay on permanent works will be taken into consideration.”

    These conditions had been accepted, and the sanction of Chinese authorities for the arrangement had been secured, by October 27, 1902. (File No. 893.102 T/60.)