793.94/5758: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 17—1:37 a.m.]
56. Department’s 13, [January 13,] 7 p.m. and 16, January 14, 9 p.m.
1. Present plan for combined action by foreign corps of the occupation of North China dated December 22, 1930, was forwarded with Legation’s despatch No. 848, March 6, 1931.10
2. Pursuant to Diplomatic Body resolution[s] printed page 318, MacMurray’s Treaties, volume 1, and after withdrawal of the Germans following sectors were assigned various powers:
“Great Britain: From Peiping to west end of Yangtsun Railroad [Page 94] Bridge over the Peiho 68 miles. France: From west end above bridge to the north end of bridge, consisting of one span 200 feet and four spans 30 feet, over the Chinglungwanho, 4 miles north of Peifang Railway Station 57.5 miles. America: From north end of above bridge to the west distant signal of Tongshan Railroad Station 53.5 miles (formerly German sector), from above limit to the west distant signal Lanchou Railroad Station 33.5 miles. Japan: From west distant signal Lanchou Railroad Station to Great Wall at Shanhaikwan 61 miles. Italian: At Peiping, Tientsin and Shanhaikwan.”
In this connection however please read paragraph 5 of combined plan referred to above which limits extension of plan only as far as Tangku until forces are of sufficient strength to extend the line between Tientsin, Tangku and Shanhaikwan.
3. Although the above are the sectors assigned, American and British forces do not at present occupy sections allotted to them. The French maintain detachments at Tangku, Chinwangtao and Shanhaikwan and exercise a mild form of surveillance at Tientsin East Station. The Italians have a few men at Tangku and a care-taking detachment at Shanhaikwan. Americans maintain a care-taking detachment at summer camp near Chinwangtao. I am informed that it has always been and it is now considered to be the right of any of the participating troops to extend, reduce or abandon altogether military control of the sectors allotted. The Japanese continue to exercise their protocol rights within a portion of the sectors originally allotted.
4. I shall bring confidentially to the attention of Colonel Burt11 at Tientsin the substance of appropriate paragraphs of Department’s telegram 16 under acknowledgment.