493.11 Changsha/8: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
1015. The following telegram has been received from the Minister at Nanking:
“November 28, 5 p.m. Your telegram number 402, November 24, 11 a.m.
- 1.
- I saw Wang today and asked about the Changsha claims which are now in preparation. He stated he had not decided how to handle matter. Has a representative at Changsha making an investigation. Said that one question which faced him was that Changsha incident was not like Nanking incident in that latter was caused by troops under Government flag while Changsha damages were caused by troops in rebellion. He thought international law did not hold Government responsible for damages caused by rebellious soldiers. I said that my information was that forces of the Nationalist Government had retired from the city without making any defense, leaving the foreigners at the mercy of the attackers; that it was only due to the fact that we had a small gunboat there that very serious situation resulting in death of a number of defenseless American citizens had been prevented. I stated that I would report that the matter was still under investigation by the Government. I told him we would be willing to have the claims gone over by a joint commission as was the case with the Nanking claims.
- 2.
- With reference to the payments on the Nanking claims now overdue, he asks that we give them a little more time as the treasury has been depleted by the war and every effort was made by the [Page 218] Ministry of Finance to get where it could resume payments. He thought that in 3 or 4 months payment would be resumed.”
For the Minister:
Perkins
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