Office of the Historian

811.30 Asiatic Fleet/578

The Navy Department to the Department of State

[Washington,] September 1, 1938—9:30 a.m.

The Commander in Chief, Asiatic Fleet, addressed the following despatch to the Commanding Officer, U. S. S. Oahu, yesterday evening:

“Call on Admiral Oikawa and tell him due to low provisions and fuel most necessary Monocacy leave for Shanghai by 10 September. It is almost three weeks since Japanese CinC36 was informed of need of early departure and by 10 September it will have been more than a month. Whatever the reason given, the fact remains the channel is open through Matang and the passage down river of one small vessel surely could not inconvenience operations. Also inform him the Monocacy was refused access by the Japanese military to coal at Andersen Meyer’s mill. Will greatly appreciate his help in moving Monocacy to Shanghai prior to 10 September.”

  1. Commander in Chief.↩