693.002/483: Telegram
The Counselor of Embassy in China ( Lochhart ) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 3—3:56 p.m.]
85. Shanghai’s 179, February 1, 9 p.m. The British Embassy states that a protest will be made to the Japanese Consul General at Tientsin and that an officer of the Embassy on January 31 called on the Japanese Counselor in Peiping and made representations on the subject. The original Foreign Office instructions were to protest to the Provisional Government in Peiping but the British Counselor at Hankow directed that a call be made on the Japanese Embassy instead. The local office of the British Embassy is not hopeful that the Japanese will yield in their position on the customs.
Repeated to Ambassador and Shanghai.