393.115/267: Telegram
The First Secretary of Embassy in China (Salisbury) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:25 p.m.]
306. Reference Shanghai’s 639, May 11, 11 a.m. to the Department. Consul Roberts at Chefoo reported in a despatch dated May 2 that the local Chinese authorities, at the instance of the Japanese naval authorities, had stopped all shipments of kerosene and gasoline to the interior from Chefoo. The Japanese Consul informed Roberts that one Japanese naval landing party was having difficulties combating guerrilla forces in the interior and had found it necessary to prevent the shipment to the interior of munitions, foodstuffs and other articles suspected of being used for military purposes by the guerrillas. Roberts obtained permission for a small shipment of gasoline to an American missionary station in the interior and believed that permission would be granted for shipments of supplies to American mission stations. All other shipments, however, are to be stopped, and the trade of the two American oil companies out of Chefoo, amounting to about 5,000 cases weekly, had completely ceased. Roberts had no hope that military restrictions could be arranged. In a telegram of May 17, 3 p.m. he reports that restrictions are still being imposed on commercial shipments to the interior.
I believe that discussion of the matter with the Japanese Embassy here will accomplish nothing and I therefore respectfully suggest that representations be made to the Japanese Government at Tokyo.
Repeated to Hankow and Tokyo.