793.94/4016
Memorandum by the Under Secretary of State (Castle) of a Conversation With the Counselor of the French Embassy (Henry)
M. Henry telephoned me to say that they had a telegram stating that the British Ambassador in Paris had called vigorously to the attention of M. Laval the situation in Shanghai, especially as to the International [Page 176] Settlement. The British Ambassador was very strong in his remarks about the way the Japanese were using the Settlement. He asked M. Laval, therefore, to make another protest to the Japanese and M. Laval sent a very strong telegram to the Ambassador in Tokyo, instructing him to inform the Japanese Government that the French Consul in Shanghai had been told to keep in very close touch with his colleagues in the International Settlement during the present crisis. The Ambassador was also instructed to say that the French Government considered it imperative that the Japanese naval administration should be told under no circumstances to use the Settlement as a base.