893.00/12557: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received December 6—2:50 a.m.]
899. Legation’s 894, December 3, 1 p.m. Following from Counselor of Legation at Nanking:
“December 5, 4 p.m. By direction of the British Legation the British Consul informed me this morning that he was going to deliver [Page 548] in person to the Foreign Office a note from the British Minister saying that the British Government cannot consent to the search of British ships on high seas but that it is prepared to cooperate by permitting the search of British ships by unarmed Chinese order [officers?] acting in cooperation with the British naval authorities.
Copy by mail to the American Minister Shanghai.”