Office of the Historian

500.A15A5 Construction/91 a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)

Washington, February 3, 1938—8 p.m.

36. As you know persistent reports have reached us that the Japanese are building, or contemplate building, ships exceeding the limits of the London Naval Treaty, 1936.43 We have discussed the matter with the British, who called in the French, and it has been agreed that an identic note, mutatis mutandis, should be delivered to the Japanese Government by you and your British and French colleagues on Saturday at times to be agreed upon by you.

The following is the text of the note which you should address to the Japanese Government:

[Here follows the text of the body of the American note dated February 5, printed infra.]

Hull
  1. Department of State Treaty Series No. 919.↩