Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1938, The Far East, Volume III

693.002/603: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Consul General at Shanghai (Lochhart)

Washington, April 26, 1938—7 p.m.

283. Your 572, April 24, 9 a.m. Following for Tokyo:

“Your 267, April 23, 8 p.m.

(1) The Department does not wish to make comment upon the general terms of the agreement reached between the Japanese authorities and the British Ambassador in regard to the Chinese Maritime Customs.⁸²

(2) With reference to paragraph 4 (b) of the agreement, the Department would not wish to authorize an American official to participate in the determination of quotas or to express approval of them as one of the requirements for making them effective. The Department is, however, definitely interested in the matter of the servicing of the foreign obligations secured on the Chinese Maritime Customs revenues and would expect the Inspector General of Customs to keep the American authorities currently informed of the quotas decided upon.

(3) The Department desires that you communicate the substance of the foregoing informally to your British colleague.”

Please repeat to Ambassador, Hankow.

Welles

82. The French Government gave approval of the draft agreement.