793.94/2545: Telegram
The Consul General at Tientsin (Lockhart) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 9—10:15 a.m.]
Following sent to the Legation:
“November 9, 3 p.m. My November 9, 9 a.m.77 At meeting with Mayor and Provincial Chairman it has been brought out that most of the firing last night was between Chinese police and plain-clothes [Page 403] men just outside of the Japanese ‘Concession in which area the latter had organized their [apparent omission]. As soon as they reached Chinese territory firing between them and Chinese police began. Some of the plain-clothes men were captured and some had in their possession the sum of $40 in currency. Their objective was the Bureau of Public Safety, the headquarters of the Provincial Government and the electric-light plant in the ex-Belgian Concession and possibly the telephone office. Evidence is very conflicting as to whether there was any considerable firing inside the Japanese Concession last night but there is convincing proof that the Japanese troops used an armored car and machine guns at about 7 o’clock this morning. At 4 a.m. the Japanese authorities demanded of General Wang that he remove by 6 a.m. the Chinese police to a distance of 300 meters from the boundaries of the concession and General Wang agreed that he would do this but contended that the time was too short and requested 30 minutes’ grace beyond 6 a.m. Apparently by 7 o’clock or thereabouts the police had not been removed to the 300-meter limit whereupon firing took place between the Japanese and the Chinese police. It is not definitely established as to who fired first. Apparently the Japanese have not proceeded beyond the boundaries of their concession and it is evident also that no Chinese troops have been in action. Up to this point on the Chinese side only police have been employed. Casualties are not yet known but Japanese claim one petty officer and one soldier killed and Chinese claim a number have been wounded. The Chinese state that there were 1,100 plainclothes men and that on some of those captured were found rifles of Japanese manufacture of ‘the 38th year’. There is considerable doubt that any students were involved in the trouble.
The Chinese are complaining bitterly of the enforced establishment of a zone of 300 meters outside of the Japanese Concession on the Chinese side because this creates an area which is without police protection and which can be used as a refuge by the plain-clothes men.
The tension is by no means relaxed and further important developments may occur at any time.
Repeated to Department and Nanking.”