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

701.0093/238: Telegram

The First Secretary of Embassy in China (Salisbury) to the Secretary of State

Peiping, May 27, 1938—1 p.m.
[Received May 27—6:45 a.m.]

328. Embassy’s 309, May 20, noon.²⁷

1. Embassy has received a note from local Japanese Embassy dated May 26 in reply to our note of May 18.²⁸ The Japanese note states that the Japanese authorities concerned regret the interference of free movement in certain sections of the Legation quarter by Japanese soldiers and consular police on May 14, 16 and 17 and regret that soldiers and police acted beyond the terms of the understanding between the two in respect to the incident by the American sector of the Tartar Wall. The latter is explained as having been due to the number of different Japanese authorities concerned. The note adds that the concerned Japanese authorities have requested the Japanese Embassy to express their regret to me as president of the Administrative Commission of the quarter in respect to the first instances, and to me as in charge of the American Embassy here in respect to the Wall incident.

2. We consider the matter closed.

Repeated to Embassy [at] Hankow, Tokyo.

Salisbury

27. Not printed.
28. See telegram No. 305, May 18, 4 p.m., from the First Secretary of Embassy in China, p. 325.