701.4193/83
The Ambassador in China ( Johnson ) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 5.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the last sentence of paragraph 4 of the Department’s telegram No. 204 of August 22, 1 p.m., instructing me to inform the British Chargé d’Affaires of the Department’s views in regard to the changes contemplated in the diplomatic establishment of the United States in China. I have noted that it is the desire of the Department that there be a frank and continuous exchange of information between my British colleague and myself on this subject and in regard to any contemplated changes in the armed forces of Great Britain and the United States in North China. Bearing this in mind I called on September 3, 1936, on Mr. Howe, the British Chargé d’Affaires ad interim, and I enclose a memorandum of my conversation with him.21 It will be noted that Mr. Howe stated that the British Government had no intention of changing the status of its Embassy in Peiping; that it was their intention to go on as before with the Ambassador and most of his staff residing in Nanking and the Counselor in Peiping, the latter residing in Nanking when the Ambassador was in residence in Peiping; that even when their new Embassy establishment in Nanking was completed, about 3 or 4 years hence, they expected to continue to use the Peiping residence as a summer Embassy.
Respectfully yours,
- Not printed.↩