793.94/1796: Telegram
The Chargé in Japan (Neville) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 19—7:33 a.m.]
153. Embassy’s 150, September 19, noon. Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs informs me that according to information at hand the South Manchuria Railway guards at Mukden discovered last night about 10 o’clock that part of the track north of Mukden was being torn up. They called assistance and proceeded to break up the interference when [Page 14] they were confronted by several hundred Chinese soldiers in uniform coming out of the north camp. The Japanese military authorities thereupon sent out a force sufficient to drive off the Chinese and by 10 o’clock this morning had occupied the whole of Mukden and its environment. I am now informed that a special Cabinet meeting was held today and orders have been dispatched to the Japanese commander in chief of the army in Manchuria to stop all further aggressive military operations. The Foreign Office has promised to keep me advised.
Copy to Peiping.