Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1935, The Far East, Volume III

893.6363 Manchuria/193: Telegram

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Bingham) to the Secretary of State

London, May 4, 1935—1 p.m.
[Received May 4—9:34 a.m.]

204. The sense of the Department’s 96, April 26, 7 p.m.,³ and 102, May 2, 9 p.m. conveyed yesterday to the Foreign Office who made the following observations.

1. British Ambassador at Tokyo has given no indication to the Foreign Office of preferring that the oil companies’ claims be filed now instead of awaiting result of offer to sell properties.

2. Foreign Office, after considering matter, is of the opinion that should oil companies offer to sell properties now the possible theoretical prejudice to a subsequent claim is not worth taking into account.

3. British oil interests have not definitely expressed to the Foreign Office their views on the question of whether the first step should be an offer to sell properties or the filing of claims. As far as the Foreign Office is concerned therefore the question is still “liquid” awaiting the views of the British companies, but the Foreign Office saw no divergence of views between the British and the United States Governments.

4. Information contained in Department’s 104, May 3, 6 p.m., conveyed to Foreign Office this morning.⁴

Bingham

3. See footnote 1, p. 911.
4. In repeating most of this telegram to the Ambassador in Japan, the Department, in its telegram No. 77, May 8, 6 p.m., stated: “Department has kept London Embassy fully informed of recent developments.” (893.6363 Manchuria/193)