893.102 Kulangsu/249: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Counselor of Embassy in China (Lockhart), at Peiping
190. Amoy’s September 2, 4 p.m.,31 and September 4, 7 p.m., to Peiping. The Department in offering as it did, as a possible alternative, in its 272, September 1, 5 p.m., to Tokyo, the suggestion that the present Japanese sub-inspector be replaced “by an officer considered more suitable by the Japanese” did not have in mind the thought that the Municipal Council of Kulangsu should accept “an appointee of the Japanese or any other government”. The Department has, however, assumed all along that it would be essential that any person of Japanese nationality appointed by the Council should be persona grata to the Japanese authorities. In this connection it is the Department’s understanding that the Japanese inspector of police employed by the Diplomatic Quarter at Peiping is appointed by the Administrative Commission of the Quarter on the specific nomination and recommendation of the Japanese Embassy, which accordingly bears some responsibility for his qualifications and conduct.
The withdrawal of the British and French landing forces reported in Amoy’s September 2, 4 p.m., would seem to offer an opportunity for the Embassy at Tokyo and the Consulate at Amoy to seek further with the Japanese authorities an acceptable arrangement whereby the Japanese and American landing parties at Kulangsu might be withdrawn.
Sent to Peiping. Repeated to Chungking, Amoy and Shanghai. Shanghai please repeat to Tokyo.
- Not found in Department files.↩