893.52/339
The Consul General at Hankow (Josselyn) to the Chargé in China (Gauss)33
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the Legation’s instructions of January 17 and January 26 on the subject of the reregistration of land in the ex-Russian and ex-German Concessions as well as the general subject of land re-registration in the Hankow area.
In accordance with the suggestion contained in the Legation’s instruction of January 26, I called on Mayor K. C. Wu on February 1 and requested him to waive the question of fines and other penalties for delay in the case of American landholders who voluntarily applied for re-registration of their property. I stated that I understood this had been done in the case of other nationals. The Mayor replied that he was willing to do so and that if I would write him, making the request, he would issue the necessary instructions. A memorandum of the conversation is attached hereto.34
I have accordingly written to the Mayor and a copy of my letter, dated February 6, 1935, is enclosed herewith.34 I do not believe, however, that I will receive a written assurance from him that fines, etc., will be waived, as I was told by the Acting British Consul General that the Mayor would not give such an assurance in writing.
There is enclosed herewith a copy of a letter34 which is being sent to American landholders in the ex-Russian and ex-German Concessions so far as the records of this office show them to be.
Respectfully yours,