693.002/396: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
Tokyo, November 26, 1937—6
p.m.
[Received November 26—8:40 a.m.]
[Received November 26—8:40 a.m.]
567. Department’s 316, November 24, 7 p.m.
- 1.
- In view of the urgency of the matter as indicated in a report by the British Financial Counsellor at Shanghai to the British Embassy here and of the French Ambassador’s formal representations to the Minister for Foreign Affairs on November 23 as well as the British Ambassador’s representations to the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs on November 221 called upon the Minister for Foreign Affairs this afternoon and left with him an aide-mémoire stating our position with regard to the preservation of the integrity of the Chinese Customs Administration in the sense of the Department’s telegram under reference. In view of the instructions contained therein, however, I informed the Minister that my representations were informal.
- 2.
- The Minister authorized me to inform you that in the discussions at Shanghai full consideration will be given to foreign interests in the Chinese Customs. He was somewhat at a loss to understand the remark of the Japanese Consul General that no third parties would be recognized in the discussions (Shanghai’s 10161) because, as he pointed out, the discussions are being carried on with the other interested consular representatives in Shanghai. He assumes that [Page 881] the allusion must refer to unofficial British agents who may be attempting to enter the discussions.
Repeated to Shanghai.
Grew