Office of the Historian

303.1115/3703: Telegram

The Consul General at Canton (Linnell) to the Secretary of State

Canton, October 20, 1938—5 p.m.
[Received October 20—3:25 p.m.]

Embassy’s October 19, noon,23 concerning Chinese-American citizens. I am making every effort to evacuate all such to Hong Kong and am having considerable success. If the Japanese come to Canton, those remaining have been instructed to go to Lingnan University where the American staff mission [is] staying. Radio communication between Lingnan and the U. S. S. Mindanao has been set up and in case of necessity boats of the Mindanao or other launches I now control will be used to bring the people from Lingnan to Shameen or in the case of Chinese-Americans to place them on a boat of some kind alongside the Mindanao unless in the interim permission is obtained to bring the latter also to Shameen.

Linnell
  1. Not printed.↩