125.643/101: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in China (Johnson)
198. Department’s 145, May 29, 8 p.m., and your 267, June 13, 9 a.m. The Department desires that you directly or through Atcheson inform your British colleague informally and as under instruction from the Department that the Department expects within the next few weeks to put into effect the arrangement at Nanking discussed in the telegrams under reference.20 Please point out that this change at Nanking is being made with a view to facilitating the carrying on of the work of your mission by making it possible for the staff at Nanking to [Page 524] center its attention upon diplomatic work. If you think it desirable you may explain that you expect to reside in Nanking a larger proportion of the time than hitherto and that with the intention of increasing the facilities at your disposal the Department is attempting to rent larger premises at Nanking.
You should request that this matter be considered as confidential for the time being.
- The British Ambassador was so informed on July 5 (125.643/106). The Consulate General at Nanking was closed effective September 17; on the same date the Legation in China became an Embassy (125.643/110; 123J634/367).↩