Office of the Historian

394.1153 Feiting/2: Telegram

The Commander in Chief of the United States Asiatic Fleet (Yarnell) to the Chief of Naval Operations (Leahy)20

[Shanghai,] December 1, 1937—2:58 p.m.
[Received December 1—7 a.m.]

0001. In reply to letter re seizure of steamer, Rear Admiral Sugiyama, Commander Fujino, called 11:15 today to apologize for seizure by Japanese naval personnel of launch Feiting and lowering her American flag. Sugiyama stated personnel has been instructed take over certain launches belong to Chinese and this launch appeared on their lists as Chinese owned; they regret very much their personnel took this action without investigating and admit their act in lowering American color was without justification; he stated, however, that question of ownership of launch was still open to question but until decided launch would be returned.

Sugiyama stated Vice Admiral Hasegawa now ill but he would come, express regrets in person soon as recovered. Consider this affair satisfactorily settled.

  1. Copy transmitted to the Department by the Navy Department.↩