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

393.115 Nanyang Brothers Tobacco Company/3: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Consul General at Hankow (Josselyn)

Washington, December 7, 1938—7 p.m.

32. Your December 2, 4 p.m., William Hunt and Company and Nanyang Brothers Tobacco Company.

1. The Department concurs in the position indicated in the last paragraph of your telegram of December 28, 6 p.m., 1937,⁵⁴ that the documents submitted do not establish an American interest in the Nanyang Brothers Tobacco Company, Incorporated, justifying the right of this former well-known Chinese property at Hankow to fly the American flag or to enjoy the protection due to a clearly American-owned property.

2. You may inform Hunt’s representative of the foregoing and then go with him into a consideration of the documentary evidence which he may be able to present in support of the claim of William Hunt and Company to an interest in the property in question; and in the light of your own conclusions after examining that and other evidence available to you, you may inform the Japanese Consul General of your opinion regarding the extent and character, if any, of the American interest in the property.

Repeated to Chungking and Shanghai.

Welles

54. Not printed.