893.00/12601: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received December 27—10:10 a.m.]
936. The Vice Consul at Foochow has urged the Legation to make representations to the National Government to the end that Nantai Island, on the south bank of the Min River at Foochow, may continue to be free from bombardment by National Government air planes. Up to the present bombardment by the planes has been confined to areas north of the river. Nantai Island is principal place of residence of foreigners and present place of refuge of foreigners and Chinese. Vice Consul reported that Consular Body at Foochow is making representations to Senior Minister to request Diplomatic Body to obtain assurance of National Government that there will be no bombarding of Nantai Island.
By a later message the Vice Consul states that the rebel government and military headquarters are reliably reported to have been removed to Nantai Island from Foochow city.
Notwithstanding this, I am of the opinion that attention of the Government should be directed to fact that Nantai Island is principal [Page 555] place of residence and refuge of Americans at Foochow and I have therefore instructed Peck at Nanking as follows:
“December 27, 1 p.m. Please inform Foreign Office that the Legation is much concerned for the safety of Americans at Foochow in view of air bombarding by planes of the National Government, that the principal place of residence of foreigners at Foochow is on Nantai Island south of the river and that it is imperative for the protection of Americans at Foochow that there should be no bombing in Nantai Island area. Again state that the American Government must hold the National Government strictly responsible for any loss of American life, any injury to American citizens and any damage to American property as the result of its bombing operations. Standard Oil Company reports that bombs have been dropped in vicinity of its ‘up-town installation’. Bring this report also tp the attention of the Foreign Office.”
In informing Vice Consul at Foochow confidentially of the latter, I have suggested that Americans should remove as far as possible from any offices, headquarters or barracks of the rebel regime, whether on Nantai Island or elsewhere.