124.93/354: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 14—12:35 p.m.]
656. The Embassy is informed, and I am strongly inclined to believe, that the Government is determined to remain indefinitely in Nanking. I conceive the duty of the Embassy to be to keep uninterrupted contact with the Government and to maintain oversight of the thousands of American citizens who cannot be evacuated. Contact with the Government is most important because of the political effect and because it is essential to the performance of the Embassy’s duties. A probability is therefore that the Embassy can and will remain indefinitely in Nanking.
In view, however, of the possibility that a situation might develop making it advisable to evacuate the buildings in the city I would be grateful if the Department would authorize me to make [investigate?] the possibility of chartering a vessel such as one of the Standard Oil river boats whereon Embassy might establish an office at least temporarily and still remain in contact with Chinese Government ashore. British maintain naval vessel with vacant Admiral’s staff quarters for possible use of their Embassy offices. French have similar accommodations. Our river gunboats, of which there are two here, have insufficient accommodations except for emergency evacuation elsewhere. I have no intention of evacuating offices unless remaining in them would endanger lives of staff.