393.1115/2113: Telegram
The Second Secretary of Embassy in China (Atcheson) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 7—8:40 a.m.]
1007. I feel that everything possible has been done for Americans here. Since the middle of August they have been urged to evacuate and until recently the water route to Shanghai was safe and open and river steamers were operating to Hankow until a few days ago. On November 22 the U. S. S. Luzon offered every American still here opportunity to proceed on that vessel to Hankow. The U. S. S. Panay has offered to take aboard every remaining American and the Embassy has urged those Americans to board the Panay. American property has been posted with proclamations issued by the Embassy as well as proclamations issued by the Defense Commander’s headquarters and the Embassy has issued identification cards and arm bands to servants left in charge of American property. Ropes have been prepared for use of remaining Americans in case they later wish to escape from the city over the walls and arrangements are being made with the military authorities to facilitate such departure.
I have informed remaining Americans that my residence is at foreigners’ disposal in case they are endangered in their own dwellings and this may provide them a refuge from looting and street fighting although probably not from artillery fire because of the situation of the Embassy on exposed elevated ground. To Doctor Bates,29 one of [Page 391] the Americans remaining for purposes of the so-called safety zone, I am giving the use of my car for himself and the other Americans if needed and to facilitate escape to the walls.
- M. Searle Bates, Head of the History Department, University of Nanking.↩