793.94/4014/p
The Commander in Chief, United States Asiatic Fleet (Taylor), to the Chief of Naval Operations (Pratt)43
0003. A conference with Colonel Hooker and American Consul General has convinced me that the situation is very serious and that conflicts have been avoided only by the tolerance of American and British defense forces. For the following reasons American lives and property interests are in danger:
- 1.
- Japanese retreat to their sector when driven back and use road outside their sector until latter closed.
- 2.
- Japanese bombing planes fly over Settlement use [omission] on Japanese mills in American sector to reach objective dropping bombs immediately after crossing line in danger to Settlement and causing Chinese antiaircraft shells to fall in Settlement.
- 3.
- In spite of promises Japanese send armed patrols through American and British sectors; these patrols have murdered several people.
- 4.
- Large amount of property has been destroyed by bombing and burning and many Chinese killed, part of these in Japanese part of the Settlement.
- 5.
- Japanese position now such that in firing on railroad station overs fall in American sector.
With ships and planes Japanese now attacking Woosung forts, causing me to protest to Japanese SOPA44 on account of the shells falling [Page 200] near Parrott which is moored to Texas Company dock. I consider only drastic action on the part of the Government will cause cessation of Japanese actions. Though the Chinese point out the difficulty, if the Japanese continue the present procedure, they have shown every desire to observe the neutrality of the Settlement. A protest to Japanese against further use of Settlement as a base of operations should be made. I have recommended to American Consul General that consular body present this protest. 1921