893.102 Kulangsu/198: Telegram
The Consul at Amoy (MacVitty) to the Secretary of State
[Received 7:15 p.m.]
75. 1. Yesterday the Municipal Council replied to the Japanese Consul General’s letter referred to in my 66, July 5, 3 p.m. The Council’s reply reviews the events which led to the present situation and reiterates its [readiness?] to employ immediately 3 Japanese police and to consider the appointment of an inspector and 10 Formosa police at a ratepayers meeting.
2. The Council has requested Mr. Uchida as Senior Consul to call a ratepayers meeting to consider increase in salaries for all Chinese and Indian employees owing to present high cost of living and the depreciation of Chinese currency, also to grant authorization for the Municipal Government to borrow 50,000 Chinese dollars to be used for the purchase of food, fuel and other commodities. The Council asked Mr. Uchida to inform it if he wishes to have the appointment of a Japanese Inspector General of Police on the agenda of this special meeting.
3. The Council has been informed that the water supply from Amoy to Kulangsu will be suspended July 14 and July 15 for boat repairs. This may be routine but such short notice coming at the present time could be regarded as a warning as to what may happen in the future.17
4. I have been informed by my British colleague that 3,000 Japanese troops have been landed at the Island of Quemoy in preparation for a land and sea attack on the port of Chuanchow. Planes have been active over adjacent territory for the past week.
Repeated to Embassy at Peiping, Chungking, Consulate General at Shanghai.
- In telegram No. 80, July 17, noon, the Consul at Amoy reported that water service was not resumed until that day (893.102 Kulangsu/205).↩