893.00/12387: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 18—7:30 a.m.]
601. For the Acting Secretary. Please see this Legation’s telegrams 390, April 9, 1 p.m., 1927;93 and 469, April 21, 11 p.m., 1927.94 Since May 5, 1927, American Legation Guard has provided guard of Russian Legation wall. British Minister, French Minister and I today received Soviet Ambassador at British Legation. Soviet [Page 374] Ambassador Bogomoloff stated that having arrived and taken over the property here at Peiping he found portion of it occupied by American Marines. He stated that he did not wish to raise question of principle of defense but did desire to take over control of property. British Minister, French Minister and I agreed that we were not interested in interfering with control of property by Soviet Embassy. I informed British Minister, French Minister and Soviet Ambassador that American Marines had remained along wall in question for the purpose of covering this section of general defense plan of quarter; that in view of the fact that property was now reoccupied by Soviet Embassy and without prejudice to the right of the guards of the Legation Quarter to reoccupy wall in question should an emergency occur I would instruct commandant American Guard to withdraw Marines this evening. British Minister and French Minister agreed. Russian Ambassador stated that this would be acceptable to him. Corporal and guard heretofore stationed along Russian compound wall will therefore be withdrawn this evening. American commandant is notifying other commandants that he is doing this in view of reoccupation of the property by Soviet Embassy.