893.102 Kulangsu/230: Telegram
The Consul at Amoy (MacVitty) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 9—8:55 a.m.]
91. In a conversation yesterday afternoon with Benninghoff,25 Uchida, the Japanese Consul General, refused to recede from his position as outlined in my 90, August 6, 6 p.m. He offered to recommend the removal of the partial blockade whenever the appointment of a Japanese inspector was agreed to, but would not consider advising the removal of the oppressive measures as a prelude to friendly negotiations. The withdrawal of the landing forces was [Page 148] mentioned only in passing and he had nothing to offer on this subject.
The conversation was informal and “off the record” and will be repeated in a few days. It seems probable that the Japanese are tired of the whole question and possibly progress may be made in future talks.
Repeated Chungking, Peiping, Shanghai. Peiping please repeat to Tokyo.
- Harry Merrell Benninghoff, Second Secretary of Embassy in China detailed to Amoy as Consul (until September 30).↩