793.94/2583: Telegram
The Consul General at Tientsin (Lockhart) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 10—7:20 a.m.]
Following sent to the Legation today:
“November 10, 11 a.m. While there was intermittent rifle fire in the Chinese city practically throughout yesterday, last night passed quietly in that area and in the concession due to the strictest measures of control.
Chinese staff of this Consulate General were not able to reach Consulate General yesterday or today because of strict martial law in Chinese city and Japanese Concession. Chinese staff of many foreign firms similarly affected.
The electric light plant referred to in my November 9, 3 p.m., is in the Chinese city and not in ex-Belgian Concession.
Practically all business is suspended in the Japanese Concession and in a wide area in the Chinese city.
Chinese claim that in the firing yesterday morning at 7 o’clock the Japanese directed trench mortar shells towards the Bureau of Public Safety and that two of the shells fell in the river directly in front of the Bureau.
The number of Chinese casualties is still not known but it is generally believed that there were quite a few.
American, British, French and Italian commandants, all of whom are maintaining complete neutrality in the affair, as are all members of the consular body, conferred with Japanese Commander yesterday afternoon for the purpose of obtaining information. Japanese Commander gave to the press a statement in the afternoon stating trouble was due to internal Chinese politics in ‘native city quite unexpectedly’ and that orders were issued by him to protect the Japanese Concession. Since the statement is available in the press despatch, text will not be telegraphed. The Chinese claim that about 80 plain-clothes men were captured. An American missionary report[s] that two in attempting to evade the Chinese police threw their rifles into the American Methodist Episcopal Mission compound in Chinese city. Rifles bear the mark of the northeast army and one of them appeared to be entirely new. The rifles were turned over to the Chinese authorities.
Quite a number of stray bullets fell in the French and British Concession[s] on Sunday night and yesterday without damage.
Repeated to the Department and Nanking.”