393.1115/311: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received 7:52 p.m.]
569. Reference Department’s 268, August 24, 6 p.m. Commander-in-Chief states no further diversion of ships will take place without approval of Washington except in case of emergency; that there has been no intention of diverting a vessel to Tsingtao or other northern ports; that United States naval vessels will of course be utilized to their capacity to evacuate nationals in case of emergency; that Tsingtao and Chefoo are regarded as entirely safe for the present and there is no urgency about evacuating nationals from those ports; that there is absolutely no danger to merchant vessels from either Japanese or Chinese forces in visits to ports of North China; that the danger to merchant vessels in visits to the Yangtze River below Woosung or to the lower Whangpoo River is very small; that opposing forces have announced their intention to observe every precaution to prevent damage to neutral shipping and to his belief have done so; that there are no submarines or mine fields to endanger shipping; that there is some slight danger of vessels being struck by small arm bullets at present but this danger is decreasing and will probably disappear [Page 286] shortly; that he will naturally exercise every care to avoid bringing merchant vessels into any areas which in his opinion are dangerous; and that the war risk insurance mentioned in the telegram appears exorbitant and entirely unjustified on this basis. I concur.
Repeated to Nanking.