893.00/10723
The Consul General at Hankow (Lockhart) to the Chargé in China (Perkins)36
Sir: I have the honor to enclose herewith, for the information of the Legation, a copy of a letter addressed to me under date of December 17, 1929, by the Standard Oil Company37 reporting the attack by brigands with rifle and machine gun fire at Hwa Yung on the Motor Vessel Mei Yun belonging to the Standard Oil Company. Following the receipt of this report, I lodged a protest with the local Commissioner of Foreign Affairs. A copy of my letter dated December 19, 1929, to the Commissioner is also enclosed.37
On December 19, 1929, I received a copy of a radio from the U.S.S. Guam to the Commander of the Yangtze Patrol Force, reading as follows:
“On fourteen December the Chi Ping and I Ping who were bound down river were fired upon heavily by about two hundred unidentified soldiers on left bank at Kueichow forty-seven miles above Ichang each ship received approximately fifty hits seven of the Chinese crew of Chi Ping were wounded no other casualties the captain of the Chi Ping is of the opinion that the soldiers were attempting to commandeer the ship.”
I also lodged a strong protest with the Commissioner of Foreign Affairs for Hupeh against this attack. A copy of the letter, dated December 19, 1929, is enclosed for the information of the Legation.37
No reply has been received from the Commissioner of Foreign Affairs to either of the above mentioned protests.
I have [etc.]