693.002/401: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
322. Your 577, November 28, 11 p.m. In view of press reports from London that the British Government had instructed the British Ambassador at Tokyo to make representations in regard to the Chinese Maritime Customs question and that the British Government had approached this Government in the matter, I stated at the press conference on November 27 that you had said to the Government [Page 892] at Tokyo that this Government would naturally be very much concerned if the Customs Service in China should be so dealt with as to affect the present functioning and the distribution of the receipts. I also stated that the Consuls at Shanghai are giving attention to these different questions that have arisen, and we are naturally exchanging information with other Governments which have common interests in both the material and peace situation in the Far East.