Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1934, The Far East, Volume III

893.825/18: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Minister in China ( Johnson )

Washington , September 29, 1931—noon.

352. Legation’s despatch No. 1082, July 8.

1. In view of treaty agreements and, in particular, of the existing arrangements regarding control of pilotage at Shanghai as provided in Annex 17 of the Protocol of 1901⁸⁰ and subsequent agreements in regard to Conservancy of Whangpoo River,⁸¹ the Department is of the opinion that the present system of control of the Shanghai pilot service may not legally be changed without the consent of the interested Powers.

2. The practical aspects of the question can best be studied at Shanghai, and the Department desires to have the Consul General’s recommendations, accompanied by such comment as the Legation may be in a position to make, as to the attitude to be adopted in the event the Chinese should attempt unilaterally to put the new regulations into effect.

3. In view of the relative importance of other foreign shipping interests at Shanghai, it is suggested that the Legation and the Consulate General ascertain the views of the other principally interested foreign representatives as to the attitude to be taken in such a contingency.

Stimson

80. Foreign Relations, 1901, Appendix (Affairs in China), pp. 312, 333.
81. For text of agreement of September 27, 1905, see ibid., 1905, p. 122; for text of agreement of April 9, 1912, see MacMurray, Treaties, 1894–1919, vol. ii, p. 954.