793.94/14186: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 25—6:55 p.m.]
[For the Ambassador in China:] Following letter addressed to you as American Ambassador by Minister Tani received late this afternoon.
“Japanese Embassy in China, Shanghai, October 25, 1938. Number GO 12 [6]. Your Excellency, I have the honor to inform you that I have been requested by the Japanese naval authorities to transmit to you the enclosed memorandum.
I have the honor to be, et cetera.”
2. The memorandum reads as follows:
“By our memorandum of 22nd October, we requested all neutral naval vessels and merchant men in the vicinity of Hankow to find anchorage about 10 nautical miles up stream from that city by midnight of the said date. Subsequent reconnaissance has shown that numerous junks with Chinese troops aboard are swarming in the vicinity of neutral ships anchored along the Hankow water front in order to escape Japanese attacks.
It is therefore our most earnest request that third power authorities, giving due consideration to our desire to avoid the occurrence of unfortunate incidents involving third powers to which the above situation might give rise as well as to the desperate fight now being waged by the Japanese forces for the capture of Hankow, should [Page 192] cause all of their respective vessels to speedily move to the anchorage above mentioned and to take all possible steps to prevent Chinese ships coming into the vicinity of such vessels.
It must be added that, in view of the intensive character of the hostilities now being carried on for the capture of Hankow, it is difficult to give assurances that Chinese troops who thus take advantage of the presence of neutral vessels will not be attacked by reason of their proximity to such vessels. 25th of October, 1938.”
Sent to Chungking, repeated to Peiping, Canton, Hong Kong. Copy to Admiral Yarnell.