893.00/11923: Telegram
The Consul at Amoy (Franklin) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received May 2—8:22 p.m.]
For the Minister. Ref erring to my telegram of May 2, 9 a.m.,51 and May 1, 10 a.m., other members of the consular body inform me that they have received individual instructions to cooperate with other foreign powers in landing naval forces now to assist policing International Settlement at Kulangsu to avoid possible evacuation. They believe that the landing of naval forces at this time would have a steadying influence and reassuring effect on foreigners resident in International Settlement and also that it is advisable to prevent necessity of evacuation. Also that it is impossible to prevent evacuation unless forces which might cause evacuation are kept in order; they believe it would be by the landing of forces from foreign naval vessels now in port. United States naval officer commanding emphasizes that our forces will land only in case the lives and property of foreign residents of Kulangsu are menaced and as a preliminary to evacuation unless specifically instructed otherwise. Collective allied armed forces have never been landed on this settlement. I respectfully suggest that if the landing of our naval forces is authorized under above conditions that a time limit, probably 30 days, for their remaining on the island be set and that the Municipal Council be instructed by the consular body that they must find some means of augmenting their police force within that period sufficiently to protect lives and property of residents of Kulangsu against present menace.
I am informed by municipal authorities that at least 10,000 Chinese refugees (Japanese Consul informs me 20,000, I believe 10,000 more correct) have arrived on [island of] International Settlement of Kulangsu and are increasing daily by about 200 which police are unable to stop entirely. Police force on Settlement now increased from 100 to 112 as municipal authorities maintain inability to find more. On International Settlement there are approximately 86 American and 33 Philippine citizens, 100 British, 253 Japanese (nearly 9,000 Formosans on island of Amoy), 35,000 Chinese plus 10,000 refugees.
Situation as I understand it is as follows:
Nationalistic or anti-communistic forces reported to be in control of cities of Chuanchow and Tungan and neighboring districts. Mainland southwest of Amoy as far as Unsio and as far northwest from Unsio as Lungyen and beyond an unknown distance from Lungyen, [Page 508] and City of Changchow 32 miles due west of Amoy, in the hands of Communists or Reds. Admiral Lin assures me he can control situation on island of Amoy and has at least 4,000 armed men and 4 naval vessels but outbreak feared in Amoy due to subversive communistic propaganda. General Chang Chen has retreated as far southwest as Chaoan and believed to have left in his army only 1,000 men. As reported in my telegram of April 27 [26?], 7 [10?] p.m.,52 General Chang’s Chief of Staff, General Han Hui-jung, is established southwest of Tungan with small number of loyal troops but he is suspicious of General Chen Kuo-hui at Chuanchow. No reliable reports received of Cantonese troops reported in my telegram of April 26, 7 [10?] p.m. It is reported from local official sources that 1,000 anti-communistic volunteers under Li Ying [Yu?]-shu owing allegiance to Admiral Lin, and Chen T’ieh-ch’ing owing allegiance to General Chen Kuo-hui, are now attempting to attack Changchow. [Apparent omission] 50 armed anti-communistic volunteers. On the mainland at Sungsu [apparent omission.] Naval vessels completely surround island of Kulangsu ready with landing forces.
I believe the Municipal Council to be delinquent in their duties in not providing by this time what they consider to be adequate police strength which their chief of police estimates as at least 30 more than at present, and one more European official.
Repeated to Department and Legation.