893.51/5268: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
377. 1. Legation’s 296, May 1, 5 p.m., and 307, May 5, 6 [5?] p.m., and other recent communications respecting the detention of customs and salt revenues.
The following letter was received by the American Consul General, Tientsin, from the foreign district inspector of the Changlu salt district on May 26:
“This is to inform you that, acting upon the advice of my associate chief inspector Mr. Hussey-Freke, I have, yesterday, 23rd of May, [Page 236] issued a personal telegram to General Yen Hsi-shan, Generalissimo of the Northern forces at Taiyuanfu, requesting him to authorize immediate remittance of the monthly quotas fixed for the four salt districts of Changlu, Hotung, Chinpei and Kupei in time to meet payment of the Hukuang loan coupon due on June 3, 1930.
Your official or unofficial advice to the local authorities in this respect will greatly oblige.”
The Legation has not been approached in the matter by the American group representative. Respecting fixed charge of the Hukuang Railways loan upon the salt revenue, reference is made to enclosure 1 of my despatch No. 35, February 19.50
2. I have authorized Gauss to reply that he has referred the matter to the Legation. Since the question is analogous to that of the detention of the customs funds, I propose to take no action unless the Department instructs otherwise. See Legation’s No. 320, May 10, 1 p.m., paragraph 2.