793.94/3674: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 28—8:45 a.m.]
139. Legation’s 135, January 27, 8 p.m. Netherlands Minister has just called to state that his Consul telegraphs that state of emergency has been declared in Shanghai; that volunteers have been mobilized in International Settlement; that French have mobilized in the French Settlement, and that Japanese state they will begin action within 24 hours. He asked me to consider approaching Japanese and Chinese locally at Shanghai for the purpose of calling upon them to respect neutrality of International Settlement as was done in 1894.66 I stated that I hesitate to take any action locally at Shanghai that might cause one side or the other to believe that the foreign powers [were?] taking sides in this matter. I certainly did not want to take any action that would inspire a false sense of security among the Chinese. Furthermore I did not understand that a state of war existed between China and Japan. I stated that I had telegraphed the Department regarding conditions at Shanghai, that I assumed that Japan would respect the neutrality of the International Settlement and in any case I did not wish to take action there without foreknowledge of the Department.
Thorbecke pointed out that there was grave danger that foreign volunteers and foreigners in Shanghai might find themselves involved in this trouble in such a way as to start antiforeign reactions. I agreed with him in regard to this matter and I feel that everything should be done to prevent volunteers getting involved. I think powers should call upon Japan to recognize international character of Settlement at Shanghai and to respect that situation and the neutrality of the International Settlement.
- See despatch No. 48, September 15, 1894, from the Chargé in China, Foreign Relations, 1894 (appendix I), p. 58.↩