793.94/3318: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 24—7:24 a.m.]
1127. Your 469, December 23, 5 p.m.5 I have just been informed by telephone from Tientsin that the commander of the U. S. Fifteenth Infantry there has been informed by the Japanese military of their intention to land at Tientsin 1,700 troops, including a company of artillery, on December 26–27 for precautionary purposes. We have no evidence at present of any disturbance there to cause this Japanese action. Tientsin and the whole region between it and Chinchow are peaceful. I can therefore conceive of no reason for the Japanese action except an intended attack toward Chinchow and possible disorders caused thereby at Tientsin.
- Not printed.↩