Office of the Historian

393.1111 Baker, Charles/35: Telegram

The Consul General at Hankow (Adams) to the Secretary of State

Hankow, March 17, 1932—4 p.m.
[Received 11:30 p.m.]

43. 1. The Chinese naval vessels which have been in communication with Baker’s captors since late February are apparently accomplishing nothing through negotiation toward his release. The latest demand of the bandits is the payment of silver dollars 40,000 for Baker’s release. Money is not available from private sources for the payment of further ransom and it would, therefore, appear that the employment of force offers the only chance of obtaining Baker’s early release unless Chinese Government can be induced to pay Baker’s ransom in accordance with precedents afforded by the Perdicaris case19 reported on page 807, volume 6, Moore’s International Law Digest, and by the Lincheng case.20 The Hupeh authorities are desperately short of funds and it would be idle to hope that they would be persuaded to pay ransom.

2. The general military attacks against Baker’s captors would not assist towards his release and I can only suggest that a lever with which to force his release would be obtained by the taking of hostages at Pailochi. I reported in my number 34 of February 20, [Page 482] 1 p.m., that I had made this suggestion to General Ho Chen-chun and that he had considered it to be practicable.

3. I am again urging General Ho Chen-chun to procure hostages at Pailochi but I doubt his ability to do so by means of troops. It seems obvious that a naval operation would have been [big?] chance of success through surprise. I understand that Ho Chen-chun has not authority over the Navy. It is possible that if the Legation were to approach other Chinese authorities than the Foreign Office, the Chinese Navy might be induced to undertake a surprise raid upon Pailochi with the object of obtaining hostages. My suggestion would be that General Chiang Kai-shih be urged to order such action or, if he cannot be reached, that representations be made direct to the Minister of the Navy.

4. If the above suggestion cannot be carried out I shall be grateful for any suggestion as to further action in the case.

Adams
  1. See Foreign Relations, 1904, pp. 307, 338, 496 ff.↩
  2. See ibid., 1923, vol. i, pp. 631 ff.↩